Ophidian Girl
by scissorbrothers
Summary: "Your House does not define you Cornelia, you define your House." Snakes can't change their scales, but if Cornelia tries hard enough, maybe she could be of some use to Dumbledore's Army. DISCONTINUED, BEING REWRITTEN BY ANOTHER AUTHOR.
1. Chapter One

**Ophidian Girl**

I do not own Harry Potter. JK Rowling does.

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><p><em>The beginning is the most important part of the work. <em>

_- Plato_

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><p><strong>Chapter One<strong>

"Grandad, look what the owl brought!" I brushed back some of my black wavy hair behind my ear as I gave Dorinda a treat, as my barn owl scuffled across the wooden counter and bumped into a stack of wand boxes that my grandfather had placed there from yesterday. As much as I liked my owl, she was a bit clumsy. I ripped open the small envelope and pulled out a shiny new Slytherin Prefect's badge along with my new Hogwarts supply list. I couldn't believe it, entering my fifth year at Hogwarts and as a Prefect to boot. I could ride in the special Prefect's carriage on the train. I could dock points and walk the halls of Hogwarts without being questioned. I could even be picked as Head Girl for my seventh year. I was finally a figure of authority and it felt smashing. I couldn't help but wonder who the boy chosen to be fifth year prefect would be, although I had a strong feeling who he was.

"Wonderful, Cornelia!" My eccentric grandfather patted my shoulder as he sorted out the wandboxes and wrote some things down on parchment. "An excellent experience indeed. I was a Prefect and Head Boy when I attended Hogwarts, dear."

Yes, the most prolific wandmaker in all of Britain happens to be my grandfather and my legal guardian. He's agreed to take me on as his apprentice as soon as I graduate Hogwarts before "embarking on my journey of wandlore and wandmaking." I could care less about Potions, History of Magic or Astronomy, it's wandlore that I am fascinated with. Very few wizards or witches are able to create and sell wands. One must be apprenticed under a wandmaker and then apply for a license from the Ministry of Magic. The ones that do apply are tested on their abilities and skill. It's a rigorous process. Not just any loser can rip bark off a tree and stuff some unicorn hair in a carved hole. Wandlore is a complicated subject, a field of study that my grandfather is still discovering new things every day in his workshop. He's a bit enigmatic sometimes, a true Ravenclaw at heart. I sometimes wonder if he's disappointed that I was sorted into Slytherin, but he's never given me a hint about his feelings. He's a rather private man really. I think he shares his emotions more with the wands than his own granddaughter.

"There'll be plenty of first year students over the next few days, I'll need your help," my grandfather spoke up after he congratulated me on getting the Prefect's badge. Back to business, of course. "I heard enrollment is up this year."

I nodded. I liked working in the wand shop, although I mainly just rung up orders and organized the shelves. I couldn't actually sell a wand to someone, much to my annoyance, so I had to sit back and watch my grandfather work his magic trying to match people with their new wands. He liked a challenge. The more wands he went through, the more fun it was for him. Made me a bit jealous, really.

"Grandad, I'm going out. I need these school supplies and new books, especially this new Defense Against the Dark Arts one," as I read the name of the title on the list._ Defensive Magic Theory_? Boring.

My grandfather looked up from his paperwork as his grey eyes twinkled at me. "Don't be gone too long, dear."

I nodded as I left the wand shop, clutching my supply list and my velvet bag of money. I walked right out into Diagon Alley, feeling fortunate that I lived in a place where I could shop whenever I wanted to. I did like buying things, how materialistic of me I suppose. I walked down the cobbled street, noticing some familiar faces as I turned left and entered Flourish and Blotts, the place packed as usual. Everybody loved books. Me, I wasn't one much for reading. No offense. As I passed by some witches huddled in the corner reading some terrible bodice-ripper, I finally came across the 'Required Hogwarts Texts' section of the store. "Not what I want...wrong year..." I muttered under my breath as I skimmed the book titles with my finger, looking for this _Defensive Magic Theory_ by this Wilbert bloke. "Aha!" I exclaimed as I finally found the title...until a person's hand distracted me. And just yanked the book out of the shelf, as if I weren't there.

"Found it Gran!" a boy's voice spoke as I turned on my heel and gave a glare to this slightly chubby and awkward-looking boy with a terrible hair cut. "Last one in stock too."

"Excuse me," I huffed, tapping my foot as I waited for him to turn around to face me. "I found that book first, so hand it back to me."

He looked over his shoulder and was surprised to see me standing there. What a dope. You couldn't exactly miss me, you know. "I'm sorry but I really need it." My grey eyes darkened. I was not going to let Mr. Awkward get MY book.

"Neville, good gracious what is taking you so long-," This hideous old woman with an ugly hat and a red purse approached her grandson as her hawk-like eyes observed me. I had my arms folded across my chest, my grey eyes narrowed as I huffed. "Neville, did you take her book? What have I told you about being a gentleman? Frank would have never behaved in such a way-,"

"But Gran! She wasn't even near the book."

I smirked, clearly enjoying this. It was wrong, yes, but I needed that book. It was mine. I saw it first. The elderly woman removed the book from the boy's hands as she handed it to me, my smirk changing to a much appreciated smile as I held the book to my chest, the boy giving me a weak glare. He wasn't very intimidating to me, especially since he was being scolded by his tacky grandmother. "Thank you ma'am," I bowed my head, my bangs falling into my face as I lifted up, my silver eyes facing the two of them.

"I'm so sorry for my impolite grandson, young lady. He needs some sense whacked into that noggin of his," she apologized to me, but I was losing interest. I got my book, I needed to find the other fifth year texts and continue my school shopping. I was about to take two steps from the old woman and her grandson, but I was yet again stopped by the old woman. Ugh, what did she want now? "You're Ollivander's granddaughter, aren't you?"

I nodded, biting my lip out of impatience. The boy could tell I was getting impatient as he urged his grandmother with "Gran, we still have to finish-,"

"Neville, boy, don't interrupt a conversation. Dear, tell your grandfather Augusta Longbottom says good day."

I put on a forced thin-lipped smile as I took one last glance at Neville, clearly whipped by his grandmother, and strolled off into the rest of the sections of the bookstore, finishing up my textbook shopping. I still had plenty of things to buy, and the idea of brand new supplies for Hogwarts made me smile.

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><p>I finally arrived back to the wand shop with all my new school supplies, welcomed home by my grandfather as I walked upstairs to the apartment above the store as I dropped all the books and other items on the floor, crashing onto the loveseat in the living room. I had fun shopping, except for running into that dope Neville or whatever his name was. Oh, that reminded me.<p>

"Hey Grandad, some lady named Augusta says hello," I yelled downstairs as I returned back to the love seat, propping my feet on the ottoman. I heard my grandfather come up the stairs as he was polishing a brand new wand. My eyes widened in interest. "Oh, what kind of wand is that? Looks like the wood is cherry, maybe ten or eleven inches long."

He nodded as he walked over to me. "Oh, Augusta Longbottom? Hm. Good woman she is, I sold wands to both her son and her daughter-in-law, great people they were," he commented, as he held out the new wand for me to observe. "Frank's was twelve inches, ash with dragon heartstring. Very formidable. Alice's was nine and a half inches, elm with unicorn hair as the core. Good for Transfiguration."

I raised a black brow at my grandfather to get back on topic: his new wand. He snapped out of his tangent as he gently smiled at me, holding out the wand to me so I could observe it. "You're correct, dear. Eleven and a half inches, cherry with unicorn hair as the core. Rigid wand, good for Potions or casting difficult spells."

I smiled back at my grandfather as I ran my fingers through my hair. "I want to drop out and come work with you here. We could begin my apprenticeship early," I asked, half-serious. I really would drop out of Hogwarts if my grandfather would let me. I did not want to take the OWLS this year, because I already knew what I wanted to be. I could care less about getting into NEWT-level courses. He chuckled, but shook his head as he polished the wand a bit more, one silver eye looking over in my direction.

"You're just like your father, always eager and rushing to get to the exciting part...Cornelia, we've discussed this. I can't legally take you on as my apprentice until you've completed your education at Hogwarts, dear."

Of course, always with the Hogwarts. I stuck out my lower lip a bit as I rolled onto my side and exhaled deeply, staring at the wood floor. I always hated when he mentioned my father. We rarely discussed my father or mother, and for good reason. No reason to bring up the past. "What's for dinner?" I changed the subject, my stomach reminding me it was empty.

My grandfather blinked a few times as he looked up at the ceiling and then at me, a curious expression on his face. He forgot again, didn't he? He's getting older now, he couldn't afford to miss meals like he used to. "I suppose we could go out and eat tonight. I haven't left the shop in a week."

I snickered. "Well Grandad, you're always holed up in your workshop. You're like a hermit. If I didn't live here, I'd hardly know you exist."

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><p>So that was the first chapter of Ophidian Girl. Let me know what you think of the writing, Cornelia's personality, and if I kept Mr. Ollivander in character. I appreciate reviews (= I shall update soon, sweets.<p> 


	2. Chapter Two

I do not own Harry Potter. JK Rowling does.

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><p><em>Rank does not confer privilege or give power. It imposes responsibility. <em>

_- Peter Drucker_

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><p><strong>Chapter Two<strong>

It was the dying days of summer, September First to be exact, and in a few hours, I would be on the Hogwarts Express receiving my duties from the Head Boy and Girl and patrolling the train corridor. I felt a bit nervous but ultimately I was more excited and anxious. As Grandfather said, I'm rather impatient and a bit restless at times, but can you blame me? I only had two years left of Hogwarts but it still felt like a long stretch of time.

"Cornelia!" My grandfather's voice rung in my ears as I snapped out of my self-admiration and grabbed Dorinda's cage. Dorinda was scuttling around, her beak hitting the bars of her owl cage. I always felt bad putting her in the cage but it wasn't exactly acceptable in magical society to let her ride on my shoulder as if I were some Muggle pirate.

"Coming, Grandad!" I responded, carrying Dorinda and my luggage down the winding stairs of the wand shop as I met my grandfather at the entrance. His eccentric silver eyes twinkled at me as he opened the door for us, me going first as my grandfather turned off the lights and locked the shop. "I can't believe it's September already," I commented as we walked along the nearly quiet streets of Diagon Alley. School shopping had come and gone, and few people visited Diagon Alley in the months of August to about October, when business picked up again. It was a bit unnerving how quiet this hub of wizarding Britain could truly be sometimes.

My grandfather did not like Apparating, he was nearing a hundred years old and did not feel comfortable Apparating with me alongside him, so we walked like Muggles. Not that it was bad or anything, but I wished we could have Flooed. Unfortunately my grandfather was allergic to Floo powder. I dressed normally, except for the occasional glance when Muggles saw me carry my owl cage. My grandfather, on the other hand was getting some disapproving and strange looks, probably because he looked like he stepped out of a 19th century Muggle novel. "I'm being stared at," whispered my grandfather, his eyes shifting from me to one particular Muggle man. "I think they're particularly jealous they won't be able to look as handsome in their old age as I do."

I covered my mouth to soften my laugh. My grandfather had the best kind of humor: Ravenclaw humor, which was witty and dry. My kind of humor was slightly more insulting and derisive. We finally arrived at King's Cross as my grandfather picked up a cart for me to place Dorinda and my luggage on. I had to wait a few minutes until the coast was clear in order to pass through the barrier as to not raise suspicion. When the station was momentarily clear, we launched ourselves into the barrier and wound up in Platform 9 and Three Quarters, surrounded by the noise and crowds. It was ten-thirty in the morning and I had to hurry to the prefect's carriage.

"Write to me as soon as you can, Cornelia," my grandfather asked me, "I want to hear all about your first official day as Prefect." He gave me a wink and patted my shoulder in an affectionate way. I smiled up at him, a genuine smile only reserved for my grandfather as I winked back at him.

"I shall. I'll let you know of all the couples I catch in the hallway snogging," I snorted.

"Of course, dear," he smiled back at me as he urged me to leave. I waved back at him as I boarded the Hogwarts Express, ready to begin my fifth year of Hogwarts.

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><p>As I entered the first section of the train, I immediately recognized the prefect's carriage. It was obvious because in golden, embossed letters on the side of the compartment it read <em>Prefects and Head Boy and Girl Only<em>. I guessed we could leave our belongings in here. But before I could even set Dorinda's cage down, I heard a cold and arrogant voice from inside the carriage. "Ollivander."

Oh Merlin, it was the slimiest git in all of Slytherin House: Draco Malfoy. The title used to belong to my Yule Ball date Blaise Zabini, a story we shall not get into, but Draco deserved it more.

"Malfoy, what are you-," and then it hit me. He was the other fifth year prefect.

Draco Malfoy sneered at me, his set of grey eyes piercing mine. Did I mention he and I didn't _quite_ get along, despite the fact we both were Slytherins? Just because we were in the same House didn't mean I liked him and worshipped the ground he walked on. "I'm surprised you were chosen as prefect, Ollivander, I had hoped the honor would have gone to Pansy."

I stifled my laugh. Really? Pansy Parkinson? She'd be horrible as a prefect. Knowing her, she would just use her status to snog Draco in the hallways at night, among other things. "You're kidding me, right? I think you've gone mad in that slick head of yours."

Before Draco could retort, I saw the Head Boy and more students filter into the carriage, as I took a seat as far away from Draco as possible. Trust me, it was bad enough sharing the title prefect with him. The Head Boy cleared his throat as he waited for all twenty four prefects and the Head Girl to arrive. The Head Boy was tall, had sandy colored hair and green eyes. Not too bad looking either, but I didn't ogle him, unlike Draco who was clearly checking out the seventh year Slytherin. I wondered if Pansy knew that Draco flirts with other women, but I realized I didn't give a hippogriff's arse about anyone's love life.

"Ron, I told you, this is part of our duties, we can't sit with Harry," I heard the bossy voice of a fifth year Gryffindor enter the carriage, and it belonged to a brown haired girl with particularly bushy hair. I recognized her as the girl who danced with Durmstrang hunk Viktor Krum, but I didn't know she was in Gryffindor. Beside her was a ginger with blue eyes...and I recognized that red hair from anywhere. A Weasley.

"Weasley? A prefect? What a joke! Did Dumbledore not want to give Potter even _more_ fame, so it passed over to blood traitor Weasley?" Draco jeered as the ginger, now known as Ron, gave Draco this piercing glare. Hermione grabbed his arm. Meanwhile, I sat awkwardly, just wanting the meeting to start so I could get away from Draco and his annoying insults. Finally, the Head Girl walked in, and everyone's talking simmered down. The Head Boy and Girl stood up, each with parchment in their hand as the girl with blonde hair and freckles spoke first.

"Hello! My name's Rebecca Redfern and I'm your Head Girl for this year. My friend, Ryan Nettlebed, is your Head Boy. It is our duty to watch over all the prefects, patrol the train and corridors of Hogwarts and protect the students in times of emergency," her clear voice rang out to the point where I almost wanted to wear ear muffs. It was not something I'd get used to right away. Rebecca sat down as Ryan took over, handing us each a slip of parchment paper of our duties for this year. I was sitting next to the seventh year Slytherin prefects as I got my sheet of parchment last as I skimmed down the bulleted list of responsibilities. Guide first years to common rooms, take points from your own House, so on and so on. I just wanted to get on with being a prefect already.

"Bloody hell," I heard Ron mutter across the carriage, "there's so much stuff to do, certainly you can do some of this for me, Hermione?" he nudged the brunette. So that was her name. Hermione. Strange name really. I then heard Ryan's voice.

"Now, I was thinking, since we will all be working together this school year, perhaps we could do an introduction of sorts? Just to get to know each other a bit better," He gave us a grin, only a few returned it. I was not one of the few, as I rolled my eyes. Couldn't we just leave now? Rebecca raised a brow at Ryan as she stepped in.

"I'll start then. My name's Rebecca Redfern, I belong to the Ravenclaw house and I aspire to write spell books." I heard Draco and the rest of the Slytherins laugh in a quiet derisive way. I rolled my eyes. I disliked books. The Ravenclaws all introduced themselves, then the Hufflepuffs. Ryan turned out to be Hufflepuff as well. Not really a big surprise there. Then it came to the Gryffindors, and I could see Draco just waiting for Hermione to introduce herself. Something was going to go horribly wrong, I just knew it.

"I'm Hermione Granger, I'm a Gryffindor and I'm -,"

My eyes widened in shock as Draco cut off her sentence and burst out laughing, "a Mudblood! That's all that matters, Granger. I don't know whether it's more of a shame that blood traitor Weasley is a prefect or if know-it-all Granger is." Rebecca's jaw dropped as she slammed her hands down on the table separating the prefects, burning holes into Draco's skin with her eyes.

"Mr. Malfoy, that behavior is not becoming of a prefect," she spoke between her teeth. Guessing by how personal she was taking this, I guessed she was a Muggle-born witch or at least has a Muggle parent. Now before you lot assume me a racist, I don't hate Muggleborns or subscribe to the belief of blood purity. I am pureblood, yes, but my grandfather raised me to find the potential in all witches and wizards. As a wandmaker, it shouldn't matter what blood status a witch or wizard is, just as long as they are magical. Plus, some of my grandfather's most well known customers were Muggleborns. Just to clear the air. Good.

"Funny you should mention that Weasley is a blood traitor," I cut in, surprising the rest of my House and the Heads. "Considering your family tree, Malfoy, I wouldn't be surprised if there's someone who married a Weasley at one point...or, you know, married their own cousins." I hissed to Malfoy, a crooked grin forming on my face. Finally, after five years of putting up with him affronting people, I humiliated him in front of our own House.

Now, you may ask, why was I did I do this? One: I hate Malfoy with every fiber of my being. Two: All Pureblood families are related somehow and it's common knowledge they intermarried. As much as I hated to admit it, perhaps even the Ollivanders were guilty of such a icky practice. And three: for some reason, it really bothered me that Draco would purposefully ridicule Hermione and Ron in front of all the prefects and Head Boy and Girl.

Draco's face turned to a near scarlet as he huffed and muttered something under his breath. What followed was a tense, awkward silence that was only ended when Ryan cleared his throat again. "Well...that didn't work so let's just discuss our duties and then you all will be dismissed." As Ryan and Rebecca took turns explaining our prefect responsibilities, I felt Draco's enmity radiating off him and every often, I saw the girl Hermione look over to me with a curious expression on her face. I couldn't quite decipher what it was.

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><p>I had changed into my robes, the Slytherin prefect badge gleaming on my chest. I was already feeling good about finally shoving it up Malfoy's arse about his family, and the rush of authority made it even better. Would I come to regret it? Maybe, but I could care less right now.<p>

I held the timetables for my Hogwarts classes and my prefect duties as I walked down the train, peeking into empty compartments and I even picked up a treat from the trolley, a Pumpkin Pasty. I was such a sucker for these pumpkin-filled pies that whenever Christmas rolled around, my grandfather would fill up a basket of Pumpkin Pasties. As I took another bite, I smelled something horrible down the corridor. Interested and wanting to scold someone, I picked up the pace as I finally came across the scene of the crime.

"Merlin, what is that smell?" I murmured as I saw the entire compartment and its people were covered...in Stinksap. "Whose grand idea was it to release Stinksap?" I yelled into the compartment.

A girl's voice responded, "_Scourgify_!" as I could finally see who was inhabiting the compartment. A redhead girl who looked a lot like that Weasley boy, a girl with shaggy blonde hair reading a weird magazine, that awkward boy I had run into the bookshop the other day and ...

"Harry Potter?" I asked, recognizing a boy with messy black hair and glasses.

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><p>Sorry about the long chapter, but it was much needed. I had to establish prefect responsibilities, cause conflict between Draco and Cornelia and how she makes an impression on Hermione. Cornelia's not going to make friends that easily (x<p> 


	3. Chapter Three

**Ophidian Girl**

I do not own Harry Potter. JKR does.

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><p><em>There is an optical illusion about every person we meet. <em>

_- Ralph Waldo Emerson_

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><p><strong>Chapter Three<strong>

The bloke with the black hair and glasses looked up at me, probably wondering who I was. As I squinted my eyes, I could see the outline of the lightning scar on his forehead and my assumption had been correct. "Yeah, that's me," Harry confirmed it as I rubbed the back of my neck, not sure how to proceed from here. He sounded like he had answered the question a million times and I don't blame him. He was the Boy Who Lived, after all. Harry noticed the prefect badge on my robes and slightly scooted away from me, as if he couldn't trust me. I'm a big bad Slytherin.

"Look, I just came in here because I smelled that awful Stinksap down the hall...and now I know the culprit," my grey eyes narrowed onto Neville and his weird ugly plant. Who in their right mind would bring a smelly, horrible looking plant on a train? This Neville guy was nuts. He looked offended when I looked at him when I said 'culprit', although he couldn't deny the fact that his plant had puked all over his friends. The smell still lingered and I couldn't even take a bite of my Pumpkin Pasty without tasting that rancid stench. I let out a dejected sigh.

"You're the girl from the bookstore!" Neville blinked before frowning at me, still cradling his plant as he turned his attention to the redhead girl. "See Ginny, this is her, the girl I was telling you about."

I shrugged. "How sweet, you remember me." Okay, so now I'm just being total bitch. I can't help it sometimes, it's just too easy to default on that attitude. "I saw the book first and it was rightfully mine. Your friend Neville here snatched it away and I had to get it back."

All of a sudden, the girl with the long shaggy blonde hair turned away from her upside-down magazine as she tilted her head to the side, observing me as she piped up, "I think you've been bitten by a Nemaphrag."

I raised my eyebrows in surprise as I leaned against the compartment door, my arms folded across my chest."Wait, what's a Nemaphrag?" I did a double-take as I looked at the dreamy looking blonde, curious about these Nemaphrags she mentioned. I'm pretty sure my presence was unwanted though because Neville was clearly uncomfortable with me around, Harry seemed frustrated at the moment and Ginny wasn't paying me much attention.

"Who are you? Slytherins can't just tromp around wherever they like," a masculine voice was behind me as I stepped aside and saw that it was none other than prefects Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Hermione was still eyeing me but she didn't look as mad as she was before.

"That's the thanks I get for shutting Malfoy up with his stupid nonsense about you and your friend? I feel wounded," I spoke with venom in my words. Ron must have finally remembered that incident because the anger in his eyes slowly melted, though I could tell he wasn't going to be friendly towards me anytime soon.

"You told Malfoy off?" Ginny asked me as she shifted her attention to Ron. "She defended you?" she repeated in disbelief.

I raised my finger to interrupt the two of them. "Haha, _no_, I don't defend people. I simply stated the truth about Malfoy's family," I stretched out my hand, pretending to be interested in my fingernails and not looking at Ron's sister. "After all, who is he to insult another pureblood family, blood traitor or not. Nearly all pureblood Wizarding families are related."

The compartment was silent. Did I do something wrong? Oh, I must have used blood traitor in a sentence. Oops. I hummed to myself as I tapped my foot against the edge of the door, not particularly paying any attention to anyone now. I suppose it's hard to take in that a pureblood Slytherin had insulted another pureblood Slytherin. I adjusted my robes as I gave one more glance to all the people of the compartment and without a word or a goodbye, I began to take two or three steps down the corridor until I heard Draco's voice and his two cronies approach the very compartment I had been at. I didn't go back right away but I lingered in the hall, watching to see what would happen.

"Manners, Potter, or I'll have to give you a detention," I heard him drawl. Then Harry said something and Draco retorted back with "You see, I, unlike you, have been made a prefect, which means that I, unlike you, have the power to hand out punishments." He paused for a moment until he noticed me down the hall. Uh oh. "Are you spying on me, Ollivander? Can't get enough of me for one day?" he sent Crabbe to grab me by the arm as the dull headed moron dragged me back to the compartment. Ugh.

I was back to the compartment, looking pretty defeated and annoyed that Crabbe would not let go of my arm and that Draco was parading around his prefect status like he was the new Filch or something. "You arse, you can't hand out detentions before term's even started, let alone to people of other Houses," I growled, getting some surprised looks from Ginny, Neville and the blonde.

"Ollivander, since when have you become such a Gryffindor?" he jeered as Goyle laughed in that creepy low pitch laugh he did when he found something funny. "Just like your two-bit grandfather, you're a pathetic excuse for a pureblood," he spat at me, his lip curling as he returned taunting Harry. "I bet Potter has never thought he'd be second-place to Weasley here. And you've made _friends_ with Loony Lovegood, Schlongbottom and Weaselbee's sister. Lowering yourself even further."

When he mentioned my grandfather, that was _it_. I barely heard the part where he insulted Harry's friends as I felt the blood boil in my ears. I was taught to never use physical violence to solve something, but Malfoy just dragged my grandfather into this, and my grandfather was the sole person I legitimately cared about. I finally slid my arm out of Crabbe's grasp as I whipped out my wand, aiming it straight at Malfoy's forehead, not wavering. "What did you say about my grandfather? I didn't hear it the first time," I spoke slowly as my nostrils were flared, currently in the 'fight' part of the 'fight-or-flight' stance.

Malfoy, stunned that I would physically threaten him with magic, shot one last malicious look at Harry before he and his lackies walked off, but not without harshly whispering to me, "You're going to regret this, Ollivander," before strutting down the corridor. I put my wand away as I looked down at my hands, my heart still pounding. Would I have actually hexed him? Maybe, maybe not. I just needed to scare him off.

"I've never seen another Slytherin stand up to Malfoy like that," Ginny commented as I snorted, placing my hands on my hips. Draco may like to think of himself as King of Slytherin, but he was just a bully hiding behind Crabbe and Goyle.

"Oh _please_. Just because I'm a Slytherin doesn't mean I worship the ground he walks on," I was offended, but I knew that most Hogwarts students liked to group Slytherins as followers of the great Draco Malfoy. "He's an arrogant git who deserves to be knocked down a few pegs. He has no right to snub the greatest wandmaker in all of Britain."

It was silent for a moment, probably because it was hard to register to all these people that it was possible a Slytherin wasn't friends with Draco Malfoy. I use the term 'friends' lightly: there are no such thing as friends in Slytherin House. I didn't really want to stick around, feeling a bit out of place as I adjusted my robes and walked off without saying a goodbye. I had been out of character enough for one day. Next thing I'd be crusading for justice or house elf rights.

"You're different," Loony Lovegood must have followed me from where she was sitting as I turned on my heel to face her, expecting something crazy out of her mouth like those Nemaphrags she said my grandfather had. I wasn't really paying attention as I kept looking over my shoulder and trying to send her the message that I didn't want to be around her. "I'm actually Luna, Loony's not an acceptable female name."

I frowned. So her name was Luna. She was wearing a butterbeer cork as a necklace and radish earrings. Maybe she was aiming for that free-spirit druid fashion that was popular a long time ago. If she pulled her hair back and actually brushed it, she would look a lot prettier. Just saying. "I figured so," I muttered as I twirled a strand of my black wavy hair around my finger, losing interest. I wish I had another Pumpkin Pasty or something. She stared at me with those protuberant eyes of hers. Her eyes actually unnerved me a bit. It was like she was in her own world of something. I shrugged as I walked away again, being rude and not saying goodbye or anything to her.

"It's not polite to walk off like that without introducing yourself," she called. "You should come sit with me. I could use another friend." That made me stop dead in my tracks. A _friend_? Oh no, she did not just say that.

"Luna, I don't really want to make friends, and it's obvious the people you're sitting with aren't used to talking to Slytherins. It's just _grand_ they appreciate me sticking it to where Malfoy needs it, but I'm no one's friend."

"Oh," was all Luna said as she ambled back to her compartment and for a split moment I felt bad. The feeling passed as I glanced at my prefect and a half-smile crossed my face. I couldn't wait to start being a prefect.

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><p>This. Is. Terrible.<p>

I had managed to get some first years on their boats and helped load some second years on the carriages, while Draco was bullying a group of third years into letting him and his lackies get a carriage all to themselves. I rolled my eyes, he hadn't even had his badge for a full day and he was already abusing it. What a pillock. I had been so busy with the younger students that most of the carriages had already been filled up, much to my annoyance. I seriously did not want to walk all the way to Hogwarts. Exhausted, I passed by a couple filled up carriages, noticing the strange fleshless horses, whose bones I could see clearly through their coat. I raised a brow as my jaw gaped a little but I quickly shook that expression off my face. Those weren't...were they?

"You can sit with me if you want," the airy voice of Luna Lovegood wafted through my ears as I turned around to find the same blonde girl I had met on the train sitting in the last near-empty carriage, "Don't worry, I can see them too. You're just as sane as I am."

I blinked in surprise, looking at the Thestral and then to Luna. I couldn't decide which was worse: seeing a creature that is only visible to those who have experienced the death of another person, or awkwardly standing near a girl whose friendship I had rejected. I could slice a knife through the cloud of tension.

"I'm only going to sit with you because this is the last carriage."

Luna nodded as if I had said "Why yes Luna, I shall sit next to you because you're my new best friend," and continued to read her magazine. I looked at the title: _The Quibbler_. I've never heard of it, we usually got the _Daily Prophet_...that is, until my grandfather cancelled our subscription after that boy named Cedric Diggory died. I'm not entirely sure why though. I heard the Thestrals snort as they started pulling us, I nearly fell out of my seat.

"Where are your friends?" I asked, sort of taking a jab at her. We were the only ones in the carriage and it was really awkward. She peered up at me before answering.

"Oh, Ginny's in the carriage ahead of us. I was late because I discovered my satchel was stolen. I suspect the Nargles are up to it, they're quite mischievous creatures," she explained matter-of-factly. I huffed. Nargles? Nemaphrags? Where was she getting these names from?

"I'm sorry, but what are those creatures? I don't think they exist."

Luna put down her magazine as she gave this _look_, and for a moment, I forgot she was the dreamy looking girl I met from earlier. "Daddy says they exist, and when we get the money, we're going to Sweden to search for the Crumple-Horned Snorkack." Her glare faded into her usual dreamy expression.

"Oh...kay," I muttered as I stared out into the evening darkness, not really wanting to keep up the conversation. Luna must have finally got the hint as she kept reading her magazine upside-down. We didn't talk for the rest of the ride until we finally arrived at Hogwarts. A wave of relief overcame me as I hopped off the carriage, a Thestral digging its hoof in the ground and eyeing me weirdly.

"It wants you to feed it. Here," Luna pulled out a slimy limp piece of raw meat from her bag and I gave her a disgusted look. She urged me to take as I picked up the slice of meat with the edges of my two fingers and tossed it in front of the Thestral. It gulped it up as it snorted again and nudged at me. "See?" she shrugged with a smile, "it likes you now."

Fantastic. I needed to wash my hands now, first Neville and that smelly plant and now Luna carrying around meat for omens of death and despair. The people I've met today, I couldn't believe it. I needed to write to my grandfather about this.

"You still haven't introduced yourself," Luna reminded me as I turned around my heel, facing the dirty blonde-girl. I was getting impatient: I just wanted to eat dinner and guide the first years to the Slytherin dorm.

"Fine. I'm Cornelia. Satisfied?" I threw my hands up as I stormed off, now agitated. I did not care for her company and I didn't want to be bothered again by Luna and her talk of Nemawhozits. My stomach grumbled, still upset that I had to throw away my half eaten Pumpkin Pasty.

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><p>Wow, Cornelia, that is not how you make friends. She's hopeless, and a bit of a hypocrite. I'm not too happy with this chapter, I rewrote it like six times and it still kind of ends awkwardly (forgive me). I hope I kept Luna in character, she's one of my favorites. Please review, it always spurs me to write more!<p> 


	4. Chapter Four

I do not own Harry Potter. JKR does.

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><p><em>You can't learn in school what the world is going to do next year.<br>- Henry Ford _

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><p><strong>Chapter Four<strong>

My bones ached from walking, sitting in carriages, and guiding the first years to the Slytherin Dungeon. Naturally, I received no help from Malfoy. Although I had my fill at dinner, my stomach was still upset at me for some odd reason. As most of the Slytherins settled into their new dorms, I cringed at the thought of returning to mine. I share a dormitory with four of the worst girls in Slytherin House, and I mean the worst. Allow me to explain.

First, there's the so-called Queen of Slytherin: Pansy Parkinson. The on-again off-again girlfriend of Draco Malfoy. She's gossipy, insulting and not very attractive in both looks and personality. Pansy's hated my guts since she met me in first year and the animosity hasn't died down since. I overheard her whispering to Draco and pointing at me during dinner, probably whining about how I got prefect status over her. Next, Daphne Greengrass, the ultimate snob. Daphne was the sort of Slytherin girl that was vain and believed she was perfect in every way. I could be a bit vain sometimes, but at least I realized it was a flaw of mine. She believes that no man is good enough for her and that every girl wants to be her. Daphne's basically the female Blaise Zabini. Daphne happens to be Pansy's confidant and gossiping partner in crime. These two girls could dig up the dirt on anyone and ruin your years at Hogwarts.

Then there's Millicent Bullstrode. She's Crabbe and Goyle's female counterpart. Bulky, grunts a lot and Pansy likes to use her as a bodyguard. Millicent liked to throw her weight around, she's a bit thick headed and she hates it when someone mentions her half-blood status. Lastly, Tracey Davis. Like Millicent, Tracey is one of the few half-bloods in Slytherin. Out of all four girls, Tracey is the one I could tolerate the most, but I still did not like her. Tracey was boy-crazy and often ranked the Slytherin boys in order of their attractiveness. She currently was dating Blaise Zabini and it is rather annoying hearing about how handsome and exotic he was, especially since she knew that Blaise had taken me to the Yule Ball as his date last year.

"Cornelia," Pansy approached me with her freshly manicured nails on her hips as Daphne came up behind her, looking as snooty as ever. "How does it feel wearing _my_ badge?"

I couldn't believe she was still hung up on that. Let it go, woman. "Pansy, it wasn't yours to begin with," I sighed. I really wanted to avoid Pansy for as long as possible. "Don't you have a boyfriend to bother?"

Pansy pursed her lips together. "Draco's out doing his prefect duties, he's much better at it than you are. He told me all about how you tried to assault him on the train today, _bitch_," she hissed the word at me, as I rolled my eyes. Assault? That was a bit too far. Of course, Draco and Pansy liked to stretch the truth of things. "Draco told me you were standing up for Potter and his _stew-pid_ friends." Ugh, the way she pronounced stupid grated my ears. Her voice in general made me want to drive my wand into my ear and let it bleed rather than listen to her spout off on things she didn't know.

"Oh, Tracey's here! Pansy, we've got to hear what she's been up to!" As if by the grace of the bearded man himself, Daphne finally distracted Pansy away from me, but not before Pansy shot me a dirty look. I let out a sigh of relief as I finally had the dorm to myself, at least for a few minutes. I quickly changed into my pajamas and before my head hit the pillow, I felt myself drift off to sleep. I would write a letter to my grandfather tomorrow when I had the energy.

This was going to be a long year.

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><p>It was around 6:30am when I woke up and changed into my robes, pinning the prefect badge against my black cloak as I admired myself in the mirror. My hair was slightly messy from crashing onto the pillow last night, but nothing a quick Smoothing spell couldn't solve. I wanted to look smart for my first official day of schooling.<p>

"You're always ugly, Cornelia, no amount of magic will ever change that," I heard the grating voice of Pansy as I simply ignored the cow's comment and cast the Smoothing charm over my usually wavy hair. Perfect. At least I didn't have a pug nose like Miss Pansy did. I put down the mirror as I grabbed my timetable for my classes this. I ran my finger down the classes listed for Mondays. History of Magic, Potions, Divination and Defense Against the Dark Arts. Three of those four classes I could give a hippogriff's arse about. I had to wait until Tuesday to get to my preferred courses: Charms and Transfiguration.

I hated Potions. I know that sounds odd, coming from a Slytherin and that Professor Snape favored my House, but I was terrible at reading the ingredients and I was always off on timing. I have never made a grade higher than Acceptable on anything.

I chugged down my glass of pumpkin juice as I looked over my timetable for my classes. Ew, History of Magic in the morning? Ugh it was two things I hated: reading and more reading. Professor Binns was the most monotonous and droll professor...ghost in the history of Hogwarts. And it was a period and a half, which were almost as bad as double periods. I continued to skim down my list, groaning when I saw my other least favorite subject was also a period and a half: Potions.

"I hate History of Magic," I muttered as I shoved another crumpet down my mouth, wiping my mouth with the napkin as I picked up my History of Magic book and began to head towards Professor Binn's class. I was one of the first to arrive as I found an empty seat and ripped out a plain sheet of parchment. I began to doodle some wands on it, trying to figure out which woods and cores would be best for a thirteen inch wand. I remember seeing my grandfather often draw potential wands on paper first, and I wanted to see if I could do it too.

Like I ever paid attention this class. And yet I managed to get O's and A's on my essays without really trying. It was known that this was basically a nap period. A Ravenclaw girl sat down beside me as the classroom began to fill up, most students looking sleepy and half-awake. Out the corner of my eye, I saw Harry Potter take a seat right in front of me, as well as his friends Ron and Hermione. I don't think they saw me though, as the brunette began to talk about how she read over the textbook during the summer as Ron groaned.

I continued scribbling down combinations of cherry and possible core ingredients, tuning out the class. What seemed to be five minutes turned out to be an hour and a half, and class ended, as I quickly gathered up my parchment, until one sheet slipped out of the pile and onto the floor. I grabbed down to get it and bumped into someone leaving class.

"Watch where you're-, oh," I blurted as I looked up and it was Harry. I gulped as I tried to snatch my parchment but it kept slipping my hand. How embarrassing of me really.

"Here," he bent down and handed it to me, but not before he eyed my diagrams as he gave the faintest smile towards me. In fact, I'm not sure if it was a smile. "I like them. Your drawings, I mean," he mentioned before he left with Ron and Hermione, the ginger looking me over before he turned his attention back to Hermione. The corners of my mouth twitched. Very curious indeed.

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><p>Personally, when I hear the words Defense Against the Dark Arts, I don't imagine a squat toad-faced lady in pink. I had walked in and saw desks- wait, why were there desks in DADA?- were already filled for the most part. As I clutched my book in my hand, I wandered down the aisle looking for a spare seat.<p>

"Good afternoon class," Professor Umbridge's sickly sweet voice rang through my ears as I quickly slid into the first row with an empty seat I could find. I shrugged, I was still exhausted from History of Magic and Potions. Potions was terrible as usual, although Professor Snape didn't take off any points from Slytherin even though my concoction was less than desirable. In Divination I had just bs'ed a bunch of predications and taken a nap. Some of the students responded with 'Good afternoon' as if it were an afterthought, and this did not please our professor.

She tapped her pink shoes against the hard wood floor. "Well that just won't do. I want to hear your voices loud and clear when you greet me. One more time, say 'Good Afternoon Professor Umbridge!', if you will."

The entire class responded "Good afternoon Professor Umbridge!" in forced, but loud voices as the woman in pink tapped the blackboard with her unusually titchy wand as I read the words that appeared. _Defense Against The Dark Arts: A Return to Basic Principles_.

"Principles?" I muttered under my breath, turning my head around to see if anyone was as confused as I was. Since when did DADA have principles? It was basically 'fight against the bad guys' sort of class. I frowned immediately as the professor went on to say how DADA was so fragmented and had lower standards than she had expected. I sighed, knowing what 'lower standards' she was talking about. So far we had Voldemort's parasite, a con artist who erased his own memory, a werewolf and a Death Eater impersonating an Auror as our previous DADA professors. However, Professor Lupin was the best out of the past four we've had and if it weren't for the fact he was a werewolf, I'm sure he would have lasted longer than a year. Quite a shame really. As more words appeared on the board as I quickly began to write down the numbered list, rolling my eyes at each thing. "Ridiculous," I breathed.

Apparently I must have said ridiculous louder than I thought because then I heard Professor Umbridge ask me, "Do you have a problem with the Ministry-approved syllabus, Miss...?"

"Cornelia Ollivander," I responded, gulping. Professor Umbridge cleared her throat like a proper lady as she strolled down the classroom and met me at the end of my row.

"Well, Miss Ollivander, do you have a problem with the syllabus? I heard you say it was ridiculous. I don't quite understand why you would think something so important is considered...ridiculous to you."

"No offense, ma'am," I began to speak, as if I were walking on eggshells, "but this is just...different from what this class used to be." I heard some of my classmates whisper and I even saw some nod.

"She's right, Professor," lo and behold Hermione Granger spoke up, "there's nothing written about using defensive spells, or what we'll be using to practice with-,"

"Hand, please! And you are?" Umbridge gave Hermione a soft glare. I ran my fingers through my hair as I let out a sigh of relief. At least she wasn't focused on me any more, which was a relief because that was uncomfortable as hell.

"Hermione Granger, and I just was saying that surely the whole point of Defense Against the Dark Arts is to protect ourselves from dark magic!"

It only got worse from there. Professor Umbridge's voice had developed into a shrill harpy voice as more and more of my classmates spoke out of turn and defended Hermione's claim. I merely relaxed in my chair, pretending to avoid all the noise. So, I have started a disruption. Hopefully Umbridge will forget that I started it and we could all go on our merry way. I had to patrol the fifth floor tonight and I need to finish the stupid essay on giant wars for Professor Binns. And then Harry said the one phrase that could make this class much worse than it already was. He mentioned Voldemort's name out loud in front of our professor. I expected her to blow and there'd be pink shreds all over the walls of the classroom. However, she didn't even scream profanities or anything. Professor Umbridge turned her attention back to me. Great. "Miss Ollivander, I do believe you've caused an unnecessary commotion in my class. You and Mr. Potter come up here, please."

I excused myself from my seat as I followed behind a reluctant Harry as she scribbled something down on two sheets of paper and each handed us one. Umbridge told us to go to our Head of House as I glanced over at Harry and then down at my own letter. It was almost like a walk of shame to Professor Snape's office. Lucky Harry, he got McGonagall, I had the dungeon bat.

"This better be urgent, Miss Ollivander, because I will turn you away if it's something insipid or a waste of my time," My professor and Head of House drawled as if my problems were insignificant. I handed him Umbridge's letter as he opened it and read the contents. My stomach was beginning to tie itself in knots as he finally looked up at me, looking emotionless as usual.

"I'm rather disappointed in you, Miss Ollivander. Causing a disruption along with Mr. Potter? I would not think one of my own students," and this is the part that stung, "would ever resort to such lows." I just knew the rest of Slytherin would find out about this, and I'd be the laughing stock. No doubt Pansy was already scheming to get my prefect badge. I couldn't look Professor Snape in the eye. He was one of my least favorite Professors, and he knew it. However, he still liked me more than Potter, so maybe I could get off scot-free.

"You'll begin your detention at five o'clock tomorrow evening. I advise you not to be late for the first."

My eyes nearly fell out of my head. "First? Professor, how many do I have to serve?" I asked incredulously, placing my hands on his desk as my black hair fell into my face. No teacher of sound mind would ever assign such a long detention. "I have prefect duties all this week!"

Snape looked at me and without hesitation he replied, "A week's worth. Next time, think of your responsibilities before you spout off in class. I should have reconsidered choosing you as a prefect." I felt bad enough, but that jab hurt. I wasn't his best student in his class and he still named me prefect. Ugh, now I felt horrible. I wanted to blame Harry so badly but something held me back from using him as a scapegoat. I don't think my grandfather would appreciate me doing so. "You're dismissed, Miss Ollivander. And don't ever come back to my office with a letter from Professor Umbridge again, understand?"

I have never high-tailed out of an office like I just did now. _Shit_. I had to patrol the fifth floor from six to eleven all this week, and my detention with Harry started tomorrow evening. I did not want to ask Draco to cover for me, because that would just lead to him mocking me and probably saying how un-Slytherin I am and Merlin help me if my grandfather found out I shirked my duties.

I ran back to the Slytherin dungeon. I needed to write a letter to my grandfather. Maybe he could give me some advice on my predicament.

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><p><em>Dear Grandad,<em>

_I don't know where to begin. Being a prefect is tough work, and idiot Draco Malfoy was also named prefect for our year. You must remember him, he has a hawthorn wand. He even insulted two other prefects on the train during the prefects' meeting, although Malfoy got this idea I'm defending them. You know me, grandad, I don't defend people. It was just annoying listening to him spew all that blood purity nonsense. _

_I have bad news. I got my first detention. Rather, detentions. Please don't hate me, you'd have disrupted class too if the professor was an ugly toad who has flipped DADA into a joke. I have to start tomorrow night, and so does Harry Potter. Did I mention Harry? I met him on the train too. He said that You-Know-Who had returned and that earned him the same detention as me. This is a problem, because I have to patrol the fifth floor from six to eleven and I have to start my detention at five p.m. Awful stuff._

_I miss you Grandad. I wish it were the winter holidays already so I could be back at the shop. _

_Love,_

_Cornelia_

I finished penning my letter as I folded it and made a trip to the Owlery so I could send Dorinda back to Grandad. As Dorinda flew off into the sunset, I took a moment to pause and enjoy the sight. Hogwarts could be a pretty place sometimes, even with sickly sweet professors and detentions. As it neared time for me to patrol the fifth floor, I set off.

I got a pretty easy assignment, actually. This was where Art, Music and Muggle Studies classes all were, and those classrooms were pretty empty most of the time. But also on this floor was the golden jewel of prefect perks: the Prefects' bathroom. No more sharing a bathroom with my dorm mates; only the prefects, Head Boy and Girl and Quidditch captains could access such a beautiful place. Certainly it wouldn't hurt if I took a quick, soothing bath before patrolling the halls.

Not like anyone was going to be on the fifth floor tonight.

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><p>So, yeah, she gets detention. I know the story's a bit slow right, but trust me, the pace will pick up. I want to get to the good part as well! (: Reviews are always appreciated, it always spurs me to write more.<p> 


	5. Chapter Five

I do not own Harry Potter. JKR does.

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><p><em>All punishment is mischief; all punishment in itself is evil.<br>- Jeremy Bentham_

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><p><strong>Chapter Five<strong>

I would not have time to enjoy myself in the prefects' bathroom for the next five days, considering I had to be in Umbridge's office every night this school week. I didn't even know what kind of punishment I would receive. Perhaps it would just be lines or organizing her books by alphabetical order or something tedious. I couldn't believe that my clean record was ruined with five detentions.

It was breakfast time, and the usual flurry of owls came flying into the Great Hall as I spotted my brown barn owl in the crowd of birds descending upon the tables. As I grabbed the letter from her beak, Dorinda perched on my shoulder like a parrot and expected a treat. I tossed her a small piece of a bagel as I began to open the letter from my grandfather.

_Dear Cornelia,_

_You may say you do not defend others but I am proud you stood up against Draco Malfoy. I remember his father strutting into my store as if he owned all of Diagon Alley and being quite a difficult customer. Draco was no different. You must tread carefully though. The Malfoys are not to be reckoned with and with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named returning, I am very worried about your safety._

_Met Harry? You have? How is he? Are you close to him? I'm not surprised about him receiving a detention, he has his father's proclivity for rule breaking. You know, I am greatly fascinated by that particular wand of Harry's. I have told you before, Albus Dumbledore's phoenix has only ever donated two feathers for me. One is the core of Harry's wand, and the other is of...well, the wizard who gave him his scar._

I could tell he paused here, because there were some ink drips on the paper. My grandfather was scared of only one person and that was Lord Voldemort. He called him a He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, although most people, and myself included, just went by You-Know-Who. and changed the subject whenever he was mentioned. I suspect it was due to guilt. He rarely talked about it, but I could sense he carried a burden, having sold wands to You-Know-Who and his Death Eaters. I just wish he could stop dragging himself in the mud because of the guilt.

_As for your detentions, I am very disappointed in you. I advise you, do not speak up again in Professor Umbridge's class. Oh and try to find another prefect to cover you during the week of your detentions, although I understand your hesitation to ask Draco. Perhaps a Gryffindor...well...maybe not. You're a sweet girl Cornelia, but there is that pointless rivalry between the two houses. As a Ravenclaw myself, I never quite understood it._

_I look forward to seeing you again, Cornelia. The shop is quite empty without you and business is rather slow. By the way dear, your permission slip for Hogsmeade is attached as well. I love you very much and please, stay safe._

_Love,_

_Grandfather_

I sighed as I folded the letter and stuffed it into my robe pocket. Well, at least I had my permission form signed when it came time for the first Hogsmeade trip of the school year. My grandfather's associate had opened a second shop in Hogsmeade and it helped the business, although my grandfather did not visit the second store that often. I drank my glass of pumpkin juice, licking my lips for the taste. If you couldn't tell by now, I am a bit of a pumpkin fiend. Pumpkin Pasties, pumpkin seeds, pumpkin juice, just the scent in general made me happy. My smile waned as I realized I had detention tonight with Harry, and I still needed someone to cover me. With a heavy sigh, I grabbed my Charms textbook and headed off to my first class of the day.

As much as I wanted to drop out of Hogwarts, Charms and Transfiguration were one of the few classes at Hogwarts that I fully enjoyed. Probably because they were my best subjects and the only person who bested me at them was Hermione Granger. She was always two or three steps ahead of the class and I held a certain jealousy towards her. I can't help it. I wanted to be the best. After all, wandmakers had to be gifted in three particular subjects: Charms, Transfiguration and Herbology. Thank goodness Potions wasn't required.

Professor Flitwick approached the podium upon his messy stack of textbooks that allowed him to be seen as he announced we were to pair up and practice a new Charm. My eyes widened. The whole 'pairing up' caught me off guard, much to my dismay. I, Cornelia Juno Ollivander, do _not_ like working with others. Things get lost in translation and nine times out of ten, the final product is a disaster. Hence why wandmakers worked alone, except for an apprentice of course. But in general I hated group work.

"We are to learn the Silencing Charm. Does anyone know what the Silencing- Miss Granger?" As if right on schedule, the bushy haired prefect had her hand pierce the air, an urgent look on her face. I rolled my eyes. She should really let others answer for once.

"The Silencing Charm is used to temporarily mute the intended someone or something," she spoke matter-of-factly as I shrunk in my seat.

Flitwick nodded. "Yes, excellent Miss Granger! Five points to Gryffindor. Now, I'm going to pair you up in twos and I want you to practice silencing your partner. Don't worry, it's not painful!" Flitwick explained, an excited grin on his goblin-esque face. He conjured up an old hat as he begin to pull out names. I groaned. I really hope I didn't get paired with an moron. Nothing was as bad as when I had to practice the Severing Charm with that annoying Seamus Finnigan in second year. Idiot nearly chopped my arm off.

"Ah, how fun! Hermione Granger, you'll be paired with Cornelia Ollivander. Two of my best Charms students," he gleefully spoke as he began to walk around the classroom, my classmates scuffling and shuffling to their new seats next to their partner. Hermione moved her things to my row as I began to whistle nonchalantly. Hermione looked at me as if I had something on my face, and I even brushed my cheek as if there was something stuck.

"Is there something on my face?" I indignantly asked her, folding my arms across my chest. She shook her head. I exhaled sharply as I gripped onto my wand.

"Alright then. Do you want to go first or should I?" she asked me, her brown eyes focused on me.

"You should go first."

As Hermione opened her mouth to cast the spell, I feigned a cruel smile as I spoke, "_Silencio!_" and Hermione's voice was gone. She made no sound. Nice change of pace really. After a few seconds, she stared at me as if expecting me to say _Finite_. Instead, I yawned as an idea popped into my head. It was a bit mean really, but I never said I was a perfectly nice person. And like all Slytherins, if there's something I want, I will do everything I can to get it. If that means silencing Hermione so she could hear me out, then so be it.

"Oh, by the way, since I have detention with your friend Harry for the next week, it would be a huge favor if you could take over my prefect duties until the detention is done. "

Hermione glared at me as she opened her mouth but realized she still couldn't be heard. For the brightest witch of our age, she hadn't mastered how to use the _Finite_ spell non-verbally. Hm.

"Considering that I 'defended' you and your ginger friend, and I'm already subjected to the ire of my own House," I used air quotes around the word defend to stress the point, "it's really the least you could do. I'd ask a Slytherin but as you know, we Slytherins only look out for our selves and the chances of asking Draco to cover for me are, ah, quite slim." I prodded my cheek with my wand as my grey eyes looked dead on into Hermione's brown eyes.

'Say Finite or else,' she mouthed to me. I shrugged. Hermione's frown deepened. I lifted my head up to look around for Harry. I found him a few rows away from me, paired with Neville Longbottom as the two practiced their Silencing Charm. I stifled my laugh when Neville nearly jabbed Harry in the eye when he tried to cast the charm. Poor unfortunate loser.

"I bet Harry Potter would cover for me if he were a prefect. In fact, he seemed mildly impressed at how I threatened Malfoy the other day," I bluffed, placing my elbows on the desk and my hands supporting my chin as if I were giving off an innocent look. I saw her eyes shift compliantly as I inwardly smirked to myself. That did it. "_Finite_," I ended the Silencing Charm on Hermione as she was about to blurt out something but Flitwick was now near our row of seats.

"Wonderful work Cornelia and Hermione! Ten points to Slytherin and Gryffindor! You two are free to review Summoning Charms until the end of class. I have a strong feeling it will show up on your OWLs," Flitwick smiled at us as I faked a grin back before he moved on to the next group. I glanced over at Hermione, who was probably still angry at me that I sort of bullied her into doing something for me and that Flitwick had caught me ending the charm over her rather than the other way around.

The double Charms class ended with us getting a stack of homework and some advice from Professor Flitwick about how the OWL examinations could determine our future careers and lives and all that nonsense.

With Charms under my belt and coercing Hermione Granger to patrol the fifth floor while I attended detention, I felt my burden being lifted. That is, until I remembered Umbridge and I felt a heavy weight return to my chest as I walked into my Transfiguration class. Professor McGonagall is strict and stern, but I believer she is probably the most competent professor in all of Hogwarts. She was about to teach us a new spell on our syllabus: Vanishing Spells. They were quite difficult and needed tons of concentration and focus. All of my classmates, including me, were struggling to vanish our snails except for Hermione of course. She managed to have her snail disappear after three tries. Ugh, I'm sure I could have made mine disappear too if it wasn't so disgusting to look at. We all got homework, except Hermione, to practice the spell and that we will try again tomorrow.

Care of Magical Creatures was boring. I already knew what a bowtruckle was, my grandfather taught me that when I was five. If a bowtruckle is guarding a tree, that means the wood is magical. You have to leave it fairy eggs or wood lice for the bowtruckle as a distraction so you can gather the wood from the tree. At least the new professor wasn't trying to unintentionally kill us, unlike Hagrid. I didn't care much for him, to be honest. He means well but he can't teach worth a damn. Of course if my grandad heard me say that, he would be most displeased. Herbology smelled of dragon dung and was rather ho-hum for the first day, just Professor Sprout tacking on an essay for us to complete by next class. Great. More homework, and I still hadn't started my pointless dream diary for Trelawney. Ugh, why did I take Divination again?

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><p>At ten minutes to five, I showed up in front of Professor Umbridge's office, biting the inside of my cheek due to anxiety. I hope she wouldn't keep me and Harry for too long, because I had to write that essay for Sprout, an essay on comparing and contrasting boring old potion ingredients and practice the Vanishing Spell. As far as first days of Hogwarts goes, this was not what I had imagined. I turned my head when I heard someone walking down the hallway and recognized that it was Harry. I ran my fingers through my black hair, fixing the ponytail I had put my wavy black hair in.<p>

He stopped next to me, looking about as excited as I was about this detention. I kept my gaze focused on my wand, tracing my finger over the engraving that my grandfather had done on the sleek oak handle. If I hadn't mentioned before, my wand was oak, 11 and a half inches with the core being dragon heartstring. Best suited for Transfiguration. It matched me perfectly, considering it was a custom wand my grandfather made for me as my present for my 11th birthday.

I knocked on the door of our professor's office and not a moment later, did the voice of Umbridge greet us to come in. Harry looked at me with those green eyes of his as we entered her office. Oh good gracious it was like I walked into a pretty pink princess room. Cats mewing, stuck on those gaudy ornamental plates, dried flowers in ugly vases and just unspeakable feminine horrors. I think my eyes are hurting from all pink and doilies in one place.

"Good evening, Mr. Potter and Ms. Ollivander," Umbridge was speaking in her pleasantly sweet voice, but I remained emotionless as Harry began to ask her a question about if he could skip Friday's detention for Quidditch tryouts. I huffed. I was going to use my prefect status as an excuse, but as I saw Umbridge's expression change, I knew that all our hopes for a shorter detention had been dashed. "No, no. Horrible attention seekers such as you and Ms. Ollivander cannot give me any sort of excuse to allow me to pardon you from your punishments, and I think it's fair that you, Mr. Potter, are missing out on what you enjoy."

I felt shivers through my spine. She gave me more creeps that the imposter Mad Eye Moody did. She pointed to a small table draped in lace with two chairs, two pieces of parchment waiting for us. Oh. Just lines? Phew, I was actually scared for a minute. "Mr. Potter, I want you to write _'I must not tell lies'._ As for you, Ms. Ollivander, I want you to write _'I must not disrupt class'_."

"Professor? Where are the quills and the ink?" I asked, noticing the odd absence of feather quills and small ink wells laying on the table. Harry seemed to agree with me. Umbridge pulled out two really odd looking quills with unusually sharp points and gave one to Harry and I. I lifted mine up in confusion. These were really strange, maybe they were self-inking quills?

"You won't need any ink," I knew she had suppressed her laugh as a cough. I shrugged to Harry as we both sat down in our seats as we began to write down our lines. As I dotted the period on the end of the first line, I suddenly felt a rush of pain in my right hand. I grit my teeth and squeezed my eyes shut. The ink was red on paper and as it slowly dawned on me what Umbridge had sentenced us to do. I heard a gasp from Harry as he watched the words he wrote on paper appear on his hand. This was excruciating torture. I would rather, and I hate to say it, be in the presence of Malfoy than have this vile woman make us mangle our hands with such a tool. This had to be dark magic. No sane professor would ever resort to such a barbaric punishment. Not even Snape, and he was one of the scariest Professors around. Every now and then I would look up and see through the window that the sun had set, as Harry and I winced in pain every time we had to write. I was clenching my left hand so hard that when I finally released my fist, my fingers were cramped. Finally, after what felt like centuries, Umbridge spoke up.

"Come here you two."

I tossed down the horrid quill and gave a pained stare at Harry, returning the same look as we approached Umbridge's desk with our freshly cut hands. She traced her stubby fingers over Harry's hand and then mine. I resisted the urge to slap her across the face. "Shame. A few more days should let the message sink in, don't you think? You two are dismissed."

I take back what I said about running out of Snape's office. I was out of that woman's lair so fast it felt like I had Apparated. One detention down, four more to go.

"She's twisted," I heard Harry tell me as I looked over my shoulder to see him rubbing his wounded hand.

I nodded. "Not just twisted, she's vile." Cue the awkward silence.

"Hermione told me about what you did to her in Charms class today," he said in a disapproving tone. I sighed and rolled my eyes. I'm sure she wasn't too happy about that.

"Well, she's going to do it right? Cover for me?" I wanted to know now.

Harry looked at me funny before responding with, "Yeah. I asked her to, just this once. She and Ron don't exactly like...you know," he peered at me through his glasses.

"It's _fine_. Most people don't like Slytherins. Even Slytherins don't like other Slytherins." That last part was especially true: I hated everyone in my own House.

Harry and I didn't say much more after that as I chewed on my lower lip, scratching my face as I looked at the words etched onto my skin. _I must not disrupt class_. My stomach flipped when I glanced at Harry's right hand. His hand looked worse than mine.

"I'll see you tomorrow then Cornelia," he spoke with a lopsided forced smile, obviously still focused on the pain as he walked away from me and headed to back to his House. I lingered in the hall for a few minutes, mulling our conversation over in my head before I turned in the opposite direction and headed back to my House as well. Hopefully Pansy and the rest of her gang were asleep by now, because I did not feel like dealing with a clique of gossipy girls near eleven at night teasing me about my detention.

Then I remembered that I needed to write that essay for Sprout...and make up a dream for my dream diary. I guess I have to hold off on sleep for tonight. I sat on my bed as I softly whispered _Lumos_, aiming the wand's light away from the closed eyes of my sleeping room mates so I could try and scribble down the characteristics of a Fanged Geranium.

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><p>I don't really like this chapter. I think Hermione's a bit OOC and I might go back and edit this chapter eventually. Not now though, I'm just glad I finished it without ripping out all of my hair. At least we finally have some CorneliaHarry interaction. I guess you kinda have to become at least acquaintances through surviving torturous detentions together, right? Don't worry, this is a Neville/OC fic, but Corny's got to be in Harry and Co.'s good graces first y'know.

As to respond to anonymous reviewer Ophelia, you're weren't harsh in your crit at all. That was poor thinking on my part and you're totally right.

Thanks for all the reviews, alerts and favorites, it really inspires me to keep writing the fic even when it takes me nearly three days to churn out a crappy chapter :P


	6. Chapter Six

I do not own Harry Potter. JKR does.

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><p><em>And your very flesh shall be a great poem. <em>  
><em>- Walt Whitman<em>

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><p><strong>Chapter Six<strong>

I skipped breakfast to write in my dream journal for Divination. I regret ever taking the subject, but I'd rather have Divination than Arithmancy. As long as all my predications were about something tragic or mysterious, Trelawney seemed satisfied. For last night, I wrote down that I dreamed I was running barefoot in a forest and saw a grey figure in the clearing. Perfect, It was vague enough that anyone could come up with a symbolic meaning. My stomach was grumbling, annoyed that I skipped the most important meal of the day just to catch up on homework. I had my essay done for Sprout and now my dream journal. All that was left was to practice the Vanishing Spell. I slid my hand down my face. These detentions were ruining my life. Not to mention I had Astronomy at midnight and I was hoping that my detention wouldn't run that late or else I'd never make it to class on time.

Wednesdays were simple, pretty much the same schedule as Tuesdays: Divination in the morning, Charms, Transfiguration and the double Herbology period before my last class, Care of Magical Creatures. I don't hate Herbology but it can be rather boring, especially since I knew what I was doing most of the time or that Sprout often lectured about various dangerous plants. I was one of the first to walk into the greenhouse, the aromas of dragon dung fertilizer and foliage wafting through my nostrils. In a strange way, it helped me remember the smell of Grandad's workshop, all the scents of wood varnish and samples of tree bark...very earthy and natural. I missed being home.

"Out of my way, Cor-_neel_-lia," Pansy shoved me out of nowhere, her bony shoulder nearly digging into my left arm as she and her giggling gal pal Daphne snickered at me before going to their work station. As if Pansy and Daphne were the first round, I narrowly avoided having Millicent charge into me with that body of hers; she was clearly upset about something as Tracey patted Millicent on the shoulder as she babbled about feelings of some sort. She must have been called out on her half-blood status again, hm. I nearly lost my balance but I regained my composure, avoiding the gaze of Pansy and the rest of her clique as I walked over to my usual spot, right by the wide greenhouse window with the row of bubotubers squirming. I frowned. Last year we had to collect the bubotuber pus and it was rather disgusting. Herbology is not for those who desire a glamorous lifestyle.

As more students filed in, I saw the star pupil of our class make his entrance as he stopped to talk to Professor Sprout about, well, plant things. If you don't know who I'm talking about, it's Neville Longbottom, the same moron who brought the Mimbulus Mimbletonia plant that spewed Stinksap on the train. It was known among our year that he pretty much stunk at every class except this one, and he was often joked about in Slytherin. Malfoy enjoyed picking on him almost as much as he enjoyed trash talking Harry Potter, the 'Mudblood' and 'blood traitor Weasley'. 'Loony' Luna Lovegood was also a common subject. Well, basically anyone who hung out with Harry was subjected to Malfoy's taunting.

As Professor Sprout handed us back our essays, unfortunately mine was being passed down the line with Pansy and her girls snickering over something. Finally, Tracey handed me my essay as she huffed. I shrugged as I ignored her and looked down at my essay. Outstanding. A fluke. I couldn't believe I made sense at 3am in the morning.

"Psst, Corneliaaaa?" Tracey liked to stretch out her vowels whenever she talked, and at first I ignored her attempts to get me to listen to whatever drivel she wanted to spew out. Fifty percent chance it was probably Blaise related. "Corneliaaa?"

"What?" I spoke through my teeth, my grey eyes darkening as I still looked at Sprout, even though Tracey had my attention now.

"I heard from Daphne who heard from Pansy who heard from Draaaco," she gushed at his name, "that you got detention with _Potter_," she scrunched her nose up, as if the name Potter reminded her of a bad smell. It was a common facial expression in Slytherin whenever one mentioned Harry Potter. In fact, I wonder if it could count as a disease and that I was the only one immune to it. Maybe it was a fatal disease.

I remained silent, giving Tracey a scowl as I returned my focus back on Sprout's lecture, the subject of which I found legitimately interesting. Tracey whimpered like a kicked dog as she tapped Millicent's shoulder and was whining about how I wouldn't respond to her. Another reason why I don't have friends: who would want to be bothered with pointless gossip or complaints?

"Tracey?" A smug look crossed my face. The brunette turned to face me, unaware of what I was about to do. "Ten points from Slytherin for distracting me."

It was worth it. It was even worth Pansy screeching at me later that day in our dormitory, saying how much trouble I'd be in when Malfoy found out.

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><p>The second detention was even worst than the first one. I had been three minutes late to Astronomy and Professor Sinistra assigned me an extra essay as punishment. I really didn't want to describe the moons of Jupiter and their rotation cycles, ugh. I still hadn't mastered the Vanishing Spell and it was stressing me out because I usually got the hang of most Transfiguration spells quite easily. And do not get me started on the third night. On Friday, Harry gave me a fleeting look of relief, both of us ready to finally be over and done with this torture. It was our last detention and a thought occurred to me that it was also probably the last time we two would be by ourselves. For some reason, this disappointed me and I wasn't sure why.<p>

No words were exchanged as we entered Umbridge's office. The woman in pink simply tilted her head to the lace-covered table with fresh new parchment and those awful writing devices. With a heavy sigh, I sat down as we began our lines, hopefully for the last time. My hand had not healed from the first three carvings and it was going to be pure hell etching those words into my hand again. It was like sprinkling salt into an open wound.

_I must not disrupt class_. A thin trail of blood started leaking from the 'd' on my hand as it curled around my wrist and two drops dripped onto the lace table cover, drying instantly into a splotchy small circle of red. "_Hem hem_, no dozing off during detention, Ms. Ollivander," Umbridge spoke curtly to me as I furrowed my eyebrows together and looked back down at the sheet of parchment. I had only written the sentence four times, and it felt like I had been in this room for at least two hours. It was difficult enough to write with the hand that the words were slicing into. I was clenching the inside of my mouth so hard that I tasted the metallic flavor of blood as I coughed, trying to get the taste out of my mouth. Harry momentarily looked at me before focusing back onto his own lines, the parchment dotted with his own blood.

I hadn't told my grandfather about the details of my detention. I didn't want to concern him with my complaining and if I whined about it, then Umbridge would win in that regard. He was probably worried about my lack of sending him letters daily like how I used to, but between rushing essays and passing out in History of Magic to catch up on sleep, I just didn't have the time. After tonight I would, honest.

"Now, let me see if you two get the message," she stated tersely as she walked over to us and took Harry's hand into her palm, just like how she had examined his hand the past few nights. Umbridge then traced her sausage-like fingers over my cut, my eye twitching every time her finger moved to a new letter. "It hurts, doesn't it?" she asked as if she were our mother tending to our boo-boos. I wanted to slap that fake innocent act off her face. I hated two-faced people. Either be a bitch or don't, and clearly Umbridge was a balancing act of both. "I hope you two have learned your lessons. Mr. Potter and Ms. Ollivander, you may go."

I almost forgot how to breathe as I nearly sprinted out of her office before the door closed behind Harry and I. Resting against a wall, I placed my cut hand on my chest as I finally started regularly breathing again. It felt unreal, I was finally free...for now.

"We're done," Harry spoke to me.

"That we are." I nodded, my head turned down as I let my bangs fall to the side of my face. "If it's worth anything, I believe you. About You-Know-Who coming back." I believe I caught him off-guard when I said this. Probably because a Slytherin just told him that she believed him about Voldemort returning. Well it's true. I may not be the nicest person around, but that didn't mean I supported Voldemort or the idea of blood purity.

"Thanks," he said flatly. I frowned, annoyed he'd just say one word after I basically told him that I hated Voldemort. And yet, I almost didn't want our conversation to end. Chances are, he'd never speak to me again. He's too busy with his friends Hermione and Ron, and being the Boy Who Lived. Plus, it's not like you saw Slytherins and Gryffindors freely conversing in the hallways. We were just two unlucky souls who shared detention together for four nights. "It means a lot to me." Now it was my turn to be slightly surprised.

I raised an eyebrow at him in disbelief. "Really now?" I shifted my stance as I let my arms fall to my sides.

"Yeah, it does." I guess if the Boy Who Lived appreciated something I did, it was a good thing.

We stood there awkwardly before Harry started to walk towards Gryffindor Tower but not before he turned around to face me. "Well, night Cornelia."

I hesitated before shoving my hands down in my robes pockets. "Night Harry."

I held my right hand in my left palm as I followed the lines and crosses of my letters with my eyes, and depending on what letter, it was either a deep red color or a lighter shade of reddish-pink. My hand would never fully heal, that I could sadly surmise. Harry Potter and I had matching, well _semi_-matching, scars from detention with Umbridge. In my twisted sense of humor, at least we had something in common now.

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><p>So this is like my second shortest chapter to date, but oh well. I hope this isn't going too slow for you guys, Chapter Seven should be leading up to Dumbledore's Army and how Cornelia gets involved in that. Oh and NevilleCornelia stuff. Harry's been taking up too much of the spotlight, ahaha.

Thanks for all the reviews, alerts and faves! It really inspires me to write more. I even have some future chapters written out already :)


	7. Chapter Seven

I do not own Harry Potter. JKR does.

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><p><em>When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on.<br>- Thomas Jefferson_

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><p><strong>Chapter Seven<strong>

_Dear Grandad,_

_I apologize for my lack of writing to you. Between detentions and the stacks of homework the professors assign us; it's ridiculous really. I've had to write so many essays on giant wars and the witch-queens of Egypt for History of Magic that I barely have time to practice spells, keep an eye on my growing Livid Lima plant or research potions ingredients for Snape. I can't wait to finally be out of that class, the only reason Snape doesn't subtract points from me is because he likes Slytherin. I can't believe he'd choose me as prefect though, I guess he likes me more than that cow Pansy. _

_Detention was...difficult. I'd almost rather have that Death Eater imposter from last year than Umbridge, at least he actually taught us about the Dark Arts and its curses. All we do in class is read garbage about how "in theory" a spell will work. Theory this, theory that. I'm a hands on person, reading does me no good._

_The first weekend in October is the Hogsmeade trip. I can't wait. I miss you so much._

_Love,_

_Cornelia_

I frowned at my letter and folded it. I didn't have much to say. I couldn't tell my grandfather about my hand, not yet at least. I was sitting at a table in the Slytherin common room, currently the only person in the entire area. This was my free period, and in a few minutes I'd have to start patrolling the corridors of Hogwarts and sending along the new password for the Slytherin Dungeon. Today it was _Divide et impera_. Only Slytherin would have that sort of password. It was almost as obvious as that one time _Pureblood_ was the password. Maybe Malfoy came up with it.

"Ew, Tracey, Umbridge's in the paper. She's appointed as a High Inquisitor," I heard Daphne Greengrass' snobby voice ring in the common room, my much enjoyed privacy ruined by the Gossip Queen and her protege, as Daphne plopped down on a lounge chair with the _Daily Prophet_ in her hands as Tracey peered over her shoulder.

"High Inquisitor? What does that even mean?" Tracey asked her friend as Daphne shrugged, tossing back her shimmering blonde hair behind neck. I decided to answer the brunette.

"It means she's going to stick her nose in everyone's business, kind of like what you two already do."

Tracey turned her nose up at me while Daphne continuing to read the _Daily Prophet_ quietly as Tracey started talking about an upcoming romantic date that Blaise was going to take her on when it came time for the Hogsmeade trip. I wanted to vomit.

"Ollivander."

I looked up from the table and much to my chagrin it was Malfoy. My shoulders tensed up as I rested my palm on my cheek. "What could you possibly want, Malfoy?" I asked in a disinterested tone; he was holding me up from going up to the Owlery so I could send this letter to my grandfather.

His cold grey eyes were narrowing down at me as a smug look formed on his pointy face. "How was detention with Potty? You two deserve each other." I inwardly groaned. Was he really going there?

"Jealous of me, Malfoy?" I wiggled my eyebrows. "I bet even _you_ want five minutes with the great Harry Potter."

He sputtered as he slammed his hand down on the desk, my inkwell spilling on the table. His nostrils flared. "Ollivander, you're no better than poor as rags Weasley. Shame our house contains such low level Slytherins such as yourself."

I shook my head. "Malfoy, if you're going to insult me, at least try to be original about it. It gets rather boring hearing you spout out the same derogatory remarks since first year." I heard Tracey going 'oooh' as Daphne's blue eyes widened, as if she wanted Pansy here to see this.

"I'll do much worse to you, Ollivander. You'll rue the day-,"

"That I ever defied the all mighty and powerful Draco Malfoy? I'm trembling," I spoke in a sarcastic tone, pretending my voice was wavering just at the sight of him, sticking out my lip.

Malfoy was about to say something to me but he cut himself short as he gave me a malevolent glare before leaving the common room, probably late for his usual morning snog with Pansy. Ew. I had yet to catch the two in the halls at night, but one of these days I'll get that pleasure. I excused myself from the common room as well, heading up to the Owlery so I could give Dorinda my letter. But of course, I ran into someone else I disliked almost as much as Malfoy. The former owner of the title 'Slimiest Git in all of Slytherin.' Also known as my Yule Ball date.

"Oh, good morning Cornelia," Blaise spoke in a smooth accent, looking as vain as ever. Most girls would melt under his exotic chocolatey skin and voice. I rolled my eyes as I clutched the letter in my hand and tried to walk by him, ignoring Blaise's greeting. He looked offended as he blocked me from taking another step down the hallway. "It's impolite of a true lady to not greet me."

"And you're not a true gentleman, Zabini," I spat, leaning to the left in order to try and slip by him. "So I have no real reason to answer you. Now sod off before I deduct points from Slytherin or give you a detention."

He scoffed, his jaw slightly gaping. "You should let go of your silly grudges, Cornelia. It does your complexion no good," he raised his head a little, sizing me up. "Also, associating yourself with Potter makes you less attractive. Shame you're a blood traitor though, you are one of the better looking girls of Slytherin."

I threw my hands up in the air before folded them across my chest. All girls liked to be complimented on their appearances but I knew Blaise was just doing it to aggravate me. "I haven't _associated_ myself with Potter, we only served detention together for a few nights! If you recall Blaise, I don't particularly_ like_ anyone. Also, your girlfriend is a half-blood. Isn't that just as bad as being Muggleborn, hm? I never would have thought you were that sort of person, Blaise."

Blaise hesitated, looking as if he were about to frown. Instead he chuckled as he finally let me pass by, still feeling his gaze on me as I hurried my pace. "You really should do something about that cut on your hand, Cornelia, it's rather distracting," he spoke before he disappeared around the corner.

No he didn't. Too bad I didn't have Herbology today, at least I could have hidden my wound with gloves.

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><p>I ascended the forever long staircase that led into the Divination classroom, as I found an empty table far away from most of the class. My usual partner, a Ravenclaw named Terry Boot, was out today. I was slightly relieved, Terry never shut up. I found a copy of <em>The Dream Oracle<em> text on the table as I flipped through a few pages, faking an interest in what it read and tuning out what Trelawney was announcing. It wasn't until I felt her presence over me that I finally gazed up at her, my professor staring at me through those magnifying glasses of hers. She looked like a bug. A big creepy bug with fake powers.

"Ms. Ollivander, I said to pair up so you can confer and interpret your dreams," she asked me as she pulled her tacky shawl over her shoulders with her trembling hands. "Neville needs a partner, go over there, p-please." She was nervous, that I could see, but about what? My question was about to be answered as I smelled a familiar overly sweet perfume. For a moment, I couldn't decide what I disliked more: Umbridge's presence or the fact I had to sit next to Neville Longbottom.

"Good day, Professor Trelawney. I trust you received my note about the time and date of your..._inspection_," Umbridge's beady eyes stared at Professor Trelawney, expecting a response.

"Oh-oh, yes, yes I did," my spectacled professor squeaked in her fake mystical seer voice as she walked towards her two star pupils, Gryffindors Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown to observe their divination prowess. I'm sorry, I can't take that phrase seriously. Divination was a sketchy art, and the only reason I was in this class was because most of my Slytherin peers were in Arithmancy...including Pansy, Blaise and Draco. No thank you. With a heavy sigh, I carried my book and dream diary over to Neville's table, my frown etched even darker on my face as my grey eyes glimpsed at his hazel brown eyes. I don't think he was going to enjoy this either.

"Only because Trelawney asked," I huffed, sitting down as I nearly flung my book onto the table, the crystal ball rolling back and forth on its stand. "Can't believe that vile woman is in our class..." I murmured under my breath, my eyes facing the direction of awful Umbridge. Neville was curious as to what I had said inaudibly as I flipped open _The Dream Oracle_ to the pages about interpreting dreams and nightmares.

"I couldn't dream last night," Neville said almost in an ashamed voice. I merely glared at him.

"Just make something up. As long as it's dramatic and mysterious, Trelawney'll buy it. Dream interpretation is a bunch of crock anyway," I offered him my advice, resting my elbow on the desk as I glimpsed at the clear crystal ball. Right when Neville opened his dream diary, Professor Trelawney approached us with Umbridge a few steps behind her, writing notes on her pink clipboard and judging us. She noticed me and smiled at me, but in a sickly sweet way. I turned back to my Professor and Neville talking.

"No, no, Neville, I do not believe you have the Sight," she muttered, constantly switching her gaze from Umbridge to Neville. "But it's nice that you're trying, dear. That's all that matters."

"Oh no, you don't have the Sight," I snorted, biting my lip to stop my laughter. "We're doomed." Before Neville could say anything, I saw the back of Umbridge turn around as the toad-faced woman shook her head. My smirk disappeared.

"Tut tut, Ms. Ollivander, I thought you would have learned _not_ to disrupt class, especially when your Professor is being evaluated. Do you need to be reminded again?" Nobody else could tell, but I saw her eyes trail to my right hand. Bitch.

I curled my lip, my right hand clenched so hard that my cuts could bleed again. A few of my classmates looked at me and then Umbridge, expecting something out of me. "No ma'am," as I slunk into my chair, not looking at her in the eyes. I heard a 'hmph' from Umbridge as she continued to ask Trelawney questions about her teaching style.

"Your hand's bleeding," Neville pointed his finger to my right hand as I quickly shoved my hand under the desk, pretending nothing had happened, shifting my gaze suspiciously.

"No it's not," I said a bit too quickly which only made Neville ask me if my hand was bleeding. I shot him down with an assertive "No."

"Well, I thought it was," he spoke a little quieter.

"Well, it wasn't. Let's just get our pointless dream interpretations out of the way so this class can be over..." I groaned as I began to write down possible meanings for my fake dreams. This is one of those times where I wish I could be ambidextrous because I could see Neville's eyes glancing over at my right hand, in which I'd lean my hand closer to the parchment and obstruct his view. It wasn't anybody's business and it was already irritating to know that Blaise had seen it.

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><p>So yeah, that Blaise. He's an interesting Slytherin. I would have included the Hog's Head meeting in this chapter but it ended up being in Chapter Eight. Sorry! I promise, it'll be a good long chapter to make up for these bite size ones I've typed up lately.<p>

Thanks for all the reviews, and all the alerts and faves too. Keeps me chuggin' along :) I'm glad this fic is doing well, a lot of fanfics with OCs are usually flamed.


	8. Chapter Eight

**Ophidian Girl**

I do not own Harry Potter. JKR does.

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><p><em>Nothing brings people together more than mutual hatred.<br>- Henry Rollins_

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><p><strong>Chapter Eight<strong>

It was lunchtime in the Great Hall, and for the first time in nearly two weeks, I finally had managed a schedule where I could do my homework, sleep and eat a bite of food without driving myself up a wall. It was nice. As I munched on a buttered sausage croissant, I heard some owls fly in, some landing over at the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor tables as I saw a familiar brown barn owl headed my way. Dorinda dropped the letter on the table and perched on my shoulder, as usual. I broke off a piece of my croissant and fed it to Dorinda as I opened the letter.

_Dear Cornelia,_

_I am glad that your detentions are over and done. You're much better than that, dear. Make sure it doesn't happen again. As for your classes, study as hard as possible, go to bed at a decent hour, don't skip meals..._

I shook my head, flicking my finger against the parchment. He should talk about missing meals.

_I'm sorry to hear you're unhappy with your Defense Against The Dark Arts class. I particularly liked that one teacher of yours, Lupin I believe. Good man. I know Potions isn't your strong suit dear, but do try harder. Snape may not deduct points from you because you are in his House but I know he's not satisfied with the work you're doing._

_December is just a few short months away. Oh, if you want to, do visit the sister shop in Hogsmeade. Tell Mr. Birchgrove I send my regards. I'd visit myself, but I'm about to go on a trip to gather more unicorn hair. _

_Love,_

_Grandfather_

I smiled, folding the letter in half as I stuck it in my robes pocket. Lately, I've been stuffing many things in my pockets. Livid Lima seeds, letters, Pumpkin Pasties...the list kept expanding. I had been to the Ollivander's in Hogsmeade quite often. The man who runs the sister store is Mr. Birchgrove. He is one of my grandfather's oldest colleagues and made the best pumpkin spice tea I've ever tasted. Mr. Birchgrove always had a hot cup waiting for me on the counter. He's definitely one of the few people I didn't immediately dislike.

"Aww, Corny misses her grandaddy," I heard the laugh of Pansy Parkinson behind me as I ran my hand through my hair, turning around to look up at Pansy and her bodyguard Millicent. Darn, it had been two solid days since the last time I saw Pansy since she hadn't been sleeping in the dorm. It's quite easy to assume where she had been spending her nights lately.

"At least I have a grandfather," I replied, watching Pansy's haughty grin come crashing to a halt. "Both of yours are dead." I didn't even want to acknowledge she used my least favorite nickname: Corny.

"You want me to beat her up?" Millicent replied gruffly.

Pansy shook her head, holding her hand up as her black eyes pierced mine. "Not necessary, Millicent. Corny just doesn't know how to respect those who are clearly above her."

I held out my prefect badge. "More authority than me?" I could see Pansy's envy in her black eyes as her hand twitched towards me, but I pinned the badge back onto my chest. "I thought so," I spoke sharply as I tossed my hair back.

"At least I don't hit on other people's boyfriends, Cor-_neel_-lia. Blaise told me all about how you cornered him in the hallway the other day! He happens to be taken by Tracey!" she shrieked loudly in the Great Hall. Oh no, she was using her harpy voice to garner attention. She's decided to play this game. I saw a few Slytherins look down our table, already whispering and tittering about Pansy and I.

My brows furrowed. "That's not true in the slightest."

Pansy scoffed as Millicent glowered at me, threatening me with: "Tracey says she hates you and you'll get what you deserve."

I shrugged before shoving the rest of my croissant in my mouth and standing up, lunchtime nearly being over anyway. "She should get in line then," I walked straight by an offended Pansy and a confused Millicent. I had no time to play Pansy's pointless games, I had to walk down to the prefects and Head Boy and Girl office on the third floor to receive my new timetable for the month. I hope I get to patrol the fifth floor again, I really do enjoy that bathroom.

As I arrived to the nicely furnished office, I noticed that Hermione Granger was already in there, sitting in a comfy leather chair and clearly waiting for the Head Boy or Girl to arrive. I wondered what her reaction would be if she saw me walk in? She had covered for me when I had detentions with Harry but I don't think she particularly liked me. Too late. She noticed me as I was now forced to make my presence known as I chose to sit in a puffy yellow chair that reminded me of Hufflepuff colors. I bit the inside of my mouth as out the corner of my eye, I saw Hermione glance over at me. I quickly hid my right hand under my leg.

"I know what Umbridge did to you and Harry. I saw," she stated but with a tinge of concern in her voice, as if she were trying to hide it. I shrugged. I couldn't imagine Harry spilling the beans about it. She probably just noticed his scarring. "Harry even landed himself another detention with her..."

I inwardly flinched at the thought of having to write lines again with that torture device of hers. "It was barbaric," I commented.

"I think so too..." Hermione fiddled with her fingers as she faced me with a determined stare. "You're not like other Slytherins, Cornelia. Well, I mean, you obviously have the traits of course, or else you wouldn't have been Sorted as a Slytherin but-,"

I yawned mockingly, interrupting Hermione's long winded explanation. "Go on, you're absolutely enthralling me."

Hermione didn't like that comment all too much as she folded her hands on her knee, looking at the door and expecting Ryan or Rebecca to show up any minute now. "What I mean is, well, what Harry said. You're different from the others, in a good way."

The 'you're different' comment suddenly reminded me of that airy blonde girl who had approached me after I left Harry's compartment. But Harry said I was different as well? No offense, but I put more stock into what Harry Potter said than Luna Lovegood. I couldn't think of anything to say.

The Gryffindor prefect glanced from side to side as she blinked her eyes before remembering what she was going to tell me. "Cornelia, what would you do if you could _actually_ practice Defense Against the Dark Arts?" she hesitated as her brown eyes looked at me, waiting for my answer. I scratched the side of my head. What was she getting at? "So you could protect yourself...and your grandfather."

"What are you saying?" I asked.

The bushy haired brunette stood up and walked towards me as she spoke in a slow whisper, "I'm organizing a meeting this weekend at the Hog's Head-,"

I stuck my tongue out in disgust. Ew, not that run down bar that smelled like goat piss. "Why a meeting there?"

Hermione grimaced. "I was getting there Cornelia. What I was about to say was, I'm organizing a meeting at the Hog's Head for those who want to actually learn_ real_ Defense Against The Dark Arts, not the Ministry-approved..."

"Ministry-approved bullshit," I finished her sentence. She winced at the word bullshit but nodded.

"Yes. And well, I've mainly told a couple of Gryffindors, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs who would be interested in this meeting of sorts..." she went on, but my laughing cut her off. I'm sorry, did I hear her right? Hufflepuffs? Basically the rejects of the Hogwarts. Fair play and tolerance, how absolutely boring. Hermione pursed her lips together, her brown eyes glaring at me as I stopped my laughing. That really was hilarious. I needed a good laugh, it had been far too long since I found something so amusing.

"Well clearly I've made a mistake of telling you, because Harry was hoping you'd want to go, but I told him it wouldn't work..." Hermione huffed as she paced away from me, obviously mad.

"Wait, Harry wants me to go to this meeting?" I asked, surprised.

She faced me again. "Yes. It was already difficult trying to convince Harry to actually go through with this, he kept giving me excuses-,"

"Oi 'Mione, Ryan's coming down the hall...oh," the ginger Ron Weasley leaned against the doorway, not expecting Hermione to be conversing with me. And judging by Ron's expression, I think he knew that Hermione had just told me about this meeting. "Why're you telling her?"

Hermione straightened up as I took a few steps back. "Because, _Ronald_, Harry asked me to."

I waved my hand. "It's incredibly rude to talk about me as if I weren't here," I made a biting remark, shaking my head at Ron and Hermione.

"Are you barking, Hermione? Can we really trust her?" Ron asked her, glancing over at me. Hello, yes, I'm still here.

"I'm perfectly sane, Ron, but I think it's a good idea. Harry seems to like Cornelia, and well, if Harry isn't worried about-,"

"If you're worried about me snitching, I'm not going to."

Hermione and Ron stopped their old couple bickering to face me, not expecting me to cut in. I tossed my hair behind my neck as I approached Ron, shifting my gaze between the two.

"I hate Umbridge as much as anybody else in this school, if not more. I'll go to your...meeting. When is it?" I made my decision.

I thought I saw a smile on Hermione's face but it disappeared before I could even register it. Ron frowned but it wasn't as glaringly obvious as before. "Oh, well, we'll meet up at the Hog's Head as soon as everyone arrives into Hogsmeade. Isn't that right, Ron?"

Ron nodded. "Yeah. Soon."

I took in a deep breath. "I guess I'll be there then," I gave Hermione my word and conveniently, Rebecca and Ryan walked in the office, along with a number of other prefects. I sat down in the yellow chair as Ron stood over next to Hermione as Rebecca began handing out our timetable for the month. Right when I got mine, Malfoy walked in fashionably late, expecting someone to notice him.

"Nice of you to join us, Malfoy," Rebecca spoke coldly but welcomed him in as Ryan began to talk about our goals for the upcoming month. I got bored listening to him as my thoughts swirled around the idea of this meeting in the Hog's Head this upcoming weekend.

As all the prefects were dismissed, Hermione waved at me as she walked with Ron, who didn't so much as look at me. Ungrateful idiot. As I walked back down to the Slytherin dungeon, I couldn't help but feel a little, excited maybe? Well, excited's a strong word, but as I looked at the calender tacked on the wall of the common room, I realized that the first weekend of October could not come fast enough.

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><p>The rest of the week seemed to drag on. I dredged through Divination and Terry Boot's never-ending rambling of things that I didn't care about, such as Ancient Runes or his friend Anthony Goldstein, the Ravenclaw prefect of our year.<p>

Herbology was fairly okay, our growing Livid Lima plants were thrashing about. It was hilarious when Daphne's plant whacked her across the cheek and a couple other people's plants were gnawing on their arms. Luckily, mine was under control, for now at least. History of Magic almost became relevantly interesting one day, when the subject was controversies about goblin-made weapons and wizards who own them, but of course, Binns returned back to his droning voice and I lost interest.

Potions was the same as usual: Snape hating everything, Snape deducting points from Gryffindor and him just shaking his head whenever he came to check on my cauldron.

"Mr. Longbottom, this is possibly the worst brewed elixir that I've ever had the displeasure of seeing made in my classroom," My Head of House often derided Neville in class, much to the pleasure of my house. In third year, when we had learned about Boggarts in DADA, Neville's had been Professor Snape. Word got around rather quickly, and well, I believe Snape treats him even worse because of that. I had seen Hermione often whisper the correct ingredients or the right measurements in Neville's ear, but Snape was not very fond of Hermione either, despite being the best in our class. If she had been sorted into Slytherin, I'm sure Snape would be praising her.

"Sir, he's just trying. He's better than-,"

"Than whom, Ms. Granger? Do tell," my professor swooped down upon Hermione and her cauldron, glaring at her. Hermione's eyes glanced over to Crabbe and Goyle. Those two bricks couldn't even count let alone create potions. At least I sort of tried making draughts and elixirs and such.

"Ten points from Gryffindor for pointless interruptions and poor Potion-making skills."

I heard the Gryffindors in my class groan as Neville hung his head and let his cauldron simmer until the elixir went stale. Snape never took points from Slytherin, and for a split moment I felt a little bad. Then I realized, it wasn't my problem as I continued to slice pig brains and plop them into my elixir, a strange noxious smell emanating from my cauldron. Wonderful. I was about to start over, but out of nowhere Snape quickly cleared my elixir back into a silvery color. He didn't say anything as he continued to check the other students' elixirs, but I was grateful he'd do that for me. Slytherin privileges, I guess.

* * *

><p>As the first Saturday of October finally arrived, I woke up earlier than my dorm mates, changing into my clothes. Even for October, it was rather windy and a bit chilly for my tastes. I chose to wear a cozy purple jumper, a grey pull over, jeans and simple black trainers. I brushed my hair back and tied it in a messy bun, placing a white Alice band on my head to keep my stray hairs in line. I arrived to breakfast rather late and managed to swipe a doughnut before breakfast time was over. We had to line up at 10am. I snickered at the thought that Daphne, Millicent and Tracey would miss the trip to Hogsmeade. As for Pansy, one guess to where she was right now.<p>

Filch, the creepy caretaker with that awful cat, was taking roll and comparing the students to an approved list of the students that had their permission forms signed. He grunted at me, indicating I could move forward as I rubbed my hands together to create some friction. It was a lot colder than I thought it would be. Up ahead, I saw Harry, Ron and Hermione but I didn't quite want to make my presence known yet. I'd see them soon anyway.

As we walked to the picturesque little village, it had already started snowing as I felt some snowflakes hit my nose. I rubbed my nose as I began looking for the dingy Hog's Head. Why didn't Hermione choose The Three Broomsticks? At least that pub was, you know, clean and didn't have that sketchy bearded guy who looked like a cheap version of Dumbledore. If I hadn't seen the Patil twins turn right, I probably would have missed the grimy tavern as I looked up to find the wooden sign of a decapitated boar's head, crudely drawn. I bet the goats drew it as I sighed, missing that hot cup of pumpkin spice tea that could have been waiting in Ollivander's as I walked into the pub.

"Hi Cornelia," a soft voice popped up next to me as I sighed. Luna. She was wearing her scraggly blonde hair in ponytails with a weird sort of orange scrunchie, her bright silvery-blue eyes staring right at me. "Are you here for the meeting too?"

I nodded, wishing I had worn gloves. "I am."

She smiled as she pulled out a splintered wooden stool. "I'm happy you could come, although I think you may be the only Slytherin."

I rolled my eyes as I found a chair and sat down in it, next to Luna. "What gives you that idea?" I asked her in a sarcastic tone.

She shrugged, as she peeked over to something next to me. "Oh, look, butterbeer." She pointed to the Weasley twins handing out butterbeers and demanding coins. Thirsty and disappointed I couldn't have my pumpkin spice tea, I flipped a couple Sickles to one of the grinning twins. His eyes glinted mischievously as his brother looked over at me.

In a sea of Gryffindors, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs, I was the only snake. As I looked around the room to see who else I recognized, I was amazed to find that nearly all the prefects in our year attended as well. Macmillan, Abbott, Patil, Goldstein, Hermione and Ron. Oh, and me of course. After people settled down and the whispering ceased, although I saw some people glare at me before turning their attention to the big three at the front of the pub: Harry, Hermione and Ron.

"Well...hello," Hermione spoke awkwardly, as if she weren't sure how to address us. I sipped my butterbeer as my attention shifted to Harry. He caught my gaze and gave me a anxious half-smile. I could tell he was nervous or that he didn't want to be here. Maybe a mix of both. "Well, erm, we had an idea. Or rather I had an idea that it might be good if we actually studied the real Defense Against The Dark Arts. Not the rubbish Umbridge teaches us in class-,"

"Hear hear!" Goldstein nodded, interrupting Hermione as she weakly grinned at him. I noticed Terry Boot next to him as well as I shook my head.

"I think we should be able to practice real spells, be able to defend us not in theory but in real life," she explained. I gulped down some more butterbeer as Luna gave me a curious look before focusing her attention on Hermione. I noticed Ron hadn't spoken yet.

"You just want to pass your OWLs," a dark haired Ravenclaw that I vaguely recognized as Michael something-or-other piped up. Oh Ravenclaws, always with the studying. Hermione nodded but I think that wasn't the point.

"Well, yes, but the real reason is..." as she sucked in her breath and hesitated. I think I know what she's going to say. "The real reason is that Lord Voldemort's back."

Cho Chang's friend shrieked, one of the Patil twins shuddered as her sister patted her shoulder, Neville-_wait why was Neville of all people here-_ gave out a little gasp and Luna's wide eyes were round as bloated toad bellies. People started to chatter mindlessly. It may have freaked me out a little too, mainly because my grandfather never said the name Lord Voldemort. He believes the name is taboo and we only used You-Know-Who in the shop.

"It's true," Hermione spoke, ending the overwhelming shock in the room as she continued talking, "If you do want to join us, we need to figure out a-,"

"Where's the proof that You-Know-Who's back, hm? I don't believe so." Oh great another useless interruption from some moron. I noticed it was a blonde Hufflepuff. What a twit. Just adding more bias against Hufflepuffs.

"Who are _you_?" Much to my surprise, Ron finally broke his silence as he called him out.

The Hufflepuff huffed as he looked at Abbott and Macmillan before standing up as if he had a regal air. He reminded me of Malfoy. Oh Merlin, I think I just found his Hufflepuff counterpart. "Zacharias Smith, and I think we all deserve to know what makes Potter say You-Know-Who's back," he placed his hands on his waist, expecting Harry to talk. I had a strong feeling he was one of the people here that wanted Harry to talk about Cedric Diggory. Right. Cedric. Believe it or not, Slytherin actually supported Cedric over Harry. Much to my annoyance though. I thought the whole Triwizard Tournament was pointless, except when my grandfather told me about how he weighed and checked the champions' wands. That I found remotely interesting.

"What makes me say that You-Know-Who's back? I saw him. Dumbledore also told the entire school what happened. We were all there. If you don't believe him, you don't believe me and I'm not here to waste your time trying to convince anyone."

There was a chilly atmosphere in the pub, and I noticed that the bearded fake Dumbledore look alike was no longer at the bar. He was probably out back tending to his goats or something. My butterbeer was all gone too. As if that weren't disheartening enough, that annoying Hufflepuff opened his mouth once more.

"Dumbledore didn't give us the details. You should tell us how Diggory got murdered, I think we'd all like to know, wouldn't we?" he asked, squinting his eyes at Harry.

"And if you've come here for a story of how Voldemort murders someone, you're at the wrong place. Anybody who is here to listen to how Cedric Diggory died should just clear out right now, because I'm not talking about it."

I heard Cho Chang sniffle, her curly haired friend muttering something to her. I forgot that she and Cedric had a sort of thing together. Another reason why I don't want a boyfriend: sometimes they die. I was expecting Smith to leave, but he didn't. In fact, no one did. Not even me. After the tense silence, some Hufflepuffs perked up, a redhead girl asking him if he really could produce a corporeal Patronus. Wow. That was NEWT level stuff, and Harry could do that? Well, color me impressed. However, as time dragged on, I got increasingly irritated that a lot of the people here were just asking him about all his achievements. I knew that Harry was just answering to oblige them but seriously. He's already the Boy Who Lived, I get it. He's predisposed to do amazing acts of Gryffindor bravery. I dropped my butterbeer glass on the floor as I stood up. The glass cracked so loudly in the small pub that everyone paused and turned their attention to the source of the sound: me.

"I may be mistaken, but aren't we here to discuss how to practice Defense Against the Dark Arts behind Umbridge's back?" My sharp voice cut the chatter as my grey eyes scanned the entire bar. "As wonderful as it is to regale tales of Harry's unbelievable feats of courage, I wasn't asked to be here just to listen to the stories."

Ron's face was priceless, I couldn't decipher whether he was impressed by how I shut everyone up or that he was annoyed I was talking. Probably that last bit. Unfortunately, Smith stood up and stomped over to me, hatred burning in those mousy eyes of his.

"Who invited the Slytherin? How ridiculous. You expect me to believe she's here just to join our club?" Oh, so it was _his_ club now. "All you Slytherins are vile, Dark Arts loving, self-preserving-,"

"Hey, Smith, here's an idea: shut your mouth," I looked up and saw Ron tell off Smith as he clenched his fists. The ginger glanced over at me before he returned his attention back to Smith.

"That's enough!" Harry yelled at the blond boy as Smith sneered at me, still standing near me. "Cornelia's not the enemy here."

Smith gasped in an offended tone as he cast an accusing finger at me, "Isn't she? All Dark wizards have been Slytherins, the wizards who persecute Muggleborns like Granger here," he used his other arm to guide the room's attention to Hermione, clearly humiliated. My left eye twitched violently. "Who's to say she won't follow in his footsteps and join You-Know-Who's cause? She was raised to support him!" He's so delusional it was almost funny. I heard people gasp and groan. Ron looked like he was ready to throttle Smith, Hermione's face was etched with horror and Harry was seething. I had to step in before he ruined my reputation any further.

"You're absolutely right Smith," I spoke, a twisted grin growing on my face as I started to breathe slower. "Since you're such the go-to expert of all things Slytherin, let me tell you a story."

I turned my head around to see everyone staring at me as if I sprouted tentacles on my head. Perhaps this wasn't helping my case, but Smith needed to know something. Heck, everyone needed to know this. Even if it meant bringing up the cause of my grandfather's burden.

"Once upon a time," I started off as I grabbed the corner of Smith's collar with my left hand, "There was an eleven year old boy who stopped by my grandfather's wand shop. Just like you, Harry and every other wizard and witch in the past seventy years who has purchased a wand from my grandfather. This boy tried out a few wands but none worked. Finally he found one: a wand with one of the rarest cores: phoenix feather." My grey eyes looked to Harry, some people noticing this.

"This wand that the boy was matched with would do unspeakable, powerful and terrible things. That wand murdered Harry Potter's parents. How do you think my grandfather felt when he found out that a creation of his was used to kill? To torture? All those years of knowing that you sold your rarest wand to a little boy that would go on to be the greatest Dark wizard since Grindelwald...but you're right Smith, I'm only a vile, Dark Arts loving, self-preserving Slytherin." My wand was near his throat and I could hear his whimpering. "I'm exactly the same as You-Know-Who."

"Cornelia, stop!" I heard Hermione's voice derail my train of thought as I let go of Smith's collar; I could see his selfish fear wavering in his eyes. "Stop! We can't turn on each other!"

I backed off, my heart still beating as if it were to explode as I turned my back to Smith and refused to look at him. As I glimpsed around the room, I saw the Weasley twins with their jaws agape, Ginny Weasley stunned, Luna's face wearing a disturbed expression and Neville looked like someone had Petrified him. I sat down in my chair as it squeaked loudly and looked down to where my butterbeer mug had crashed. Fantastic.

It was silent for a few more minutes until we all heard a familiar _hem hem_. I nearly fell out of my seat, but it turned out to be the redhead Weasley girl, a small smirk on her face. It was scary accurate imitation. "Weren't we trying to decide how often we're going to meet and get Defense lessons?"

Hermione lowered her voice as she nodded. "Yes, yes you're right Ginny..."

"It can't interfere with Quidditch practice," a girl who I recognized as part of the Gryffindor Quidditch team spoke up.

"Or our prefect duties," Macmillan proudly spoke.

"Maybe once a week?" the redhead known as Susan suggested.

'Yes yes, once a week sounds good." Hermione rubbed her temples. "Now we just need to find an actual place to practice."

Well, I didn't have any ideas. Some people suggested the library, an unused classroom, even the haunted girl's bathroom. I don't think Moaning Myrtle would appreciate us casting spells in there.

"Right. We'll try to find somewhere," she mentioned as she rummaged through her bag as I focused on what she pulled out next: a sheet of normal parchment. Hermione hesitated before speaking again. "I think everyone should sign their name down, just so we know who was here. I also think we all ought to agree not to shout about what we're doing," she drew a deep breath, "When you sign this, you're agreeing not to tell Umbridge or anyone else about what we're up to."

Oooh, we were breaking rules. Prefect Granger going around the professor's back? This only convinced me more that maybe Granger would have done quite well in Slytherin. Hermione passed out the parchment, the Weasley twins one of the first to sign with the quill as it went around the room. As Luna handed me the parchment, I noticed she wrote her name upside down. I don't even want to know. I licked my lips, tasting a hint of butterbeer as I knowingly signed away my fate in flowery cursive. I gave the sign up sheet to Michael something-or-other as the parchment made its trip around the bar. It finally ended up in Hermione's hands once more. I made a mental note that Smith was the last to sign.

"Thanks to everyone showing up. I'll let you all know when we've found a place to conduct more meetings," she ended the meeting as people began to leave in pairs, Luna waving to me as she walked out by herself. Smith nearly shoved his way out, almost knocking over Hannah Abbott and Ernie Macmillan. What a git.

I picked up my broken mug as I quickly cast _Reparo_ on it and set it on the counter. That bearded man still wasn't here. Odd. I adjusted my jacket, a little messy when I had grabbed Smith's collar. As I left the Hog's Head, I heard Ron, Harry and Hermione talking. I stopped and waited for the three of them to exit the pub.

"That Zacharias bloke is a wart," Ron frowned as Hermione agreed. "I'm glad he got shown a thing or two."

"So I guess you don't hate my guts any more?" I raised a brow, attracting his attention.

Ron gave me a sheepish half-grin as Hermione nudged his arm. "Yeah, guess so."

I shrugged, stuffing my cold hands in the pockets of my jacket. I said bye to them, although my attention was focused on Harry. That entire meeting and he didn't speak much other than answer questions and to stop the fighting. Turning my back to the trio, I began to trudge in the freshly fallen snow, heading over to Ollivander's to pay Mr. Birchgrove a visit and to finally get some of that pumpkin spice tea.

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><p>Oh man, I had tons of fun writing this chapter. I hope you guys like it as much as I do. I know you'll recognize some of the lines from the OOTP novel, but I did change some things around. I hope Ron isn't OOC, out of the trio he's the hardest for me to write for some reason.<p>

Thanks for all the reviews, alerts and faves. I'm happy people are enjoying this fic because I'm excited about future chapters...ehehe.


	9. Chapter Nine

**Ophidian Girl**

I do not own Harry Potter. JKR does.

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><p><em>In real life, there are names that surprise us because they don't seem to suit the person at all. <em>  
><em> <strong>- <strong>Krzysztof Kieslowski _

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><p><strong>Chapter Nine<strong>

I twisted my hair into a braid as I gazed at myself in the mirror, trying to get rid of that cursed affliction called 'morning face' that we all suffered when we roll out of our beds. I heard Daphne curse and stomp, tossing out small brightly colored vials of make up onto the floor, the glitter spilling out onto the wooden floor of our small dorm. Don't get me wrong, I like mascara and the occasional eye shadow but Daphne Greengrass took it to a whole new level. I think some of her cosmetics cost more than my grandfather's shop. After all, the Greengrass sisters were heiresses to the Greengrass fortune. Daphne and Astoria would never have to work a day in their lives. Sort of like Malfoy's mother.

"Where is my Madame Magic Ultra Pink cheek shimmer!" she screeched, huffing around in just her bra and knickers, her usually smooth blonde hair tangled and flying around whenever she stormed around our dormitory. I only ever saw Daphne get this angry over two things: make up and her ex-boyfriend Theodore Nott. As far as Slytherin guys go, Theo wasn't the worst like Zabini or Malfoy. He was still annoying, however, and his face reminded me of a rabbit. I don't know what Daphne saw in him. However, I might have cheered for Theo when he dumped Daphne at the end of fourth year. The two, in the cliche sense, were as different as day and night.

So to all you romantic sops out there, read this: opposites never attract. It only ends in disaster and it never works out.

"I think it was _stoooolen_," by the way Tracey stressed the last word, I knew she was talking about me. I placed my hands on my hips, brushing off that comment. Millicent was right about Tracey's behavior: the usually ditzy half-blood avoided me at all costs while making snide comments and still using that annoying habit of stretching out her vowels.

"Found it!" Daphne's shrill voice quickly reverted back into her usual snooty voice, happily reunited with her cosmetic.

"Ooh, Theo's going to be so jealous of you! Is it true you're going out with-," I didn't hear the rest of Tracey's gossip as I left the dormitory, my black shoes hitting the stairs as I entered the somewhat crowded Slytherin common room. I saw Blaise in the corner of the common room, reading a hardbound book. I groaned when I saw Malfoy approach him to talk to him about something. I wanted to be as inconspicuous as possible in order to leave. I passed by the black lounge chairs, the Carrow twins cheerfully conversing about our upcoming Potions class and Theo Nott playing a game of wizard chess with Pollux Snead. I was reaching the entrance, just a few paces away...as I noticed a new piece of parchment framed in a clunky frame. I paused to look at whatever it was.

"Educational Decree Number...Twenty Four?" I leaned in closer to see the large blocky writing. "All organizations, societies, teams, groups and clubs henceforth disbanded...any student found to have formed or belong to such and such that has not been approved by the High Inquisitor will be expelled." So I may have skimmed the entire thing, but I got the message. My jaw was slightly gaping. So Umbridge had basically become a dictator, laying down more rules than Professor Dumbledore ever did. What a coincidence that this "decree" be posted on Monday, when we had that meeting at the Hog's Head on Saturday. Just a coincidence, right? I didn't see anyone suspicious other than the bartender, but I really doubt that he looked like someone who would pass on information, unless it was to his goats.

"Sneaking off so early, Cornelia?" I heard Blaise's voice next to my shoulder as I sneered at him.

"I'm headed off to breakfast, Blaise. And all Slytherins sneak, it's what we do," I glared at Blaise, my hand still touching the bulletin board.

Blaise raised his head up. "We do indeed. Oh, the new decree," He walked to my right as he traced his finger around the frame, "At least Umbridge is efficiently taking control of Hogwarts, something Dumbledore can't ever manage to do." I forgot to mention, Dumbledore is seen as a joke in Slytherin. I definitely didn't hate our Headmaster but it's not wise to say you like him in front of Malfoy or anyone else. So I kept my opinions to myself and as of yet, nobody has questioned me.

"Sod off," I blurted as I almost ran out the common room, turning around behind me to make sure I saw the stony dungeon wall covering the entrance. It was 8:15 and I really needed to eat breakfast so I could have enough stamina to survive History of Magic at 9am. It was amazing how fast the weekend had gone by, and I wanted to go back to Hogsmeade again, just to have some of that amazing tea Mr. Birchgrove made for me. I sat down at the Slytherin table far from most of my peers as I started to bite into a plump blueberry muffin. I just wanted to get Binns' class over and done, considering I had even finished my essay on Sunday after my prefect duties.

Binns' class was boring as usual until I randomly looked up from my doodle covered parchment to find Harry leaning by the window and something white and limping being stuffed behind his cloak. Did I just see that clearly? Maybe my eyes were still blinded by Daphne's cheek shimmer and I was just seeing things. He was excused from class, rather quickly might I add, and as Binns began to _enlighten_ us about the difference between warlocks and wizards, I felt myself drifting away and staring into space.

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><p>I had been minding my own business, ignoring the scuffling feet of fellow fifth years headed towards the dungeon where our Potions class was held. I was doing fine until Malfoy's unwanted voice echoed in the hall in front of Snape's classroom as I rolled my eyes and tried to get past Malfoy and his two henchmen, if you will.<p>

"Oh, Ollivander, still walking? I thought you'd been mangled by Davis by now."

"Shut up, Malfoy."

I saw the blond haired boy barely flinch at my abrupt comment, as he turned away to keep talking, blocking my way to enter the classroom. Git. "...well it was pretty automatic, I mean, she knows my father really well, he's always popping in and out of the Ministry...it'll be interesting to see whether Gryffindor are allowed to keep playing, won't it?"

I didn't care for Quidditch at all, but obviously Malfoy was bragging about how Umbridge gave the Slytherin team her permission to keep playing. Makes sense, I bet she was in Slytherin as well. I huffed impatiently, these three idiots better move along, I didn't want to be late to class. As I walked back a few steps, I noticed that Malfoy's head craned to the left. I peeked over to find Hermione, Ron and Harry standing there, Ron's hands slowly balling into a fist. I sighed. Both Ron and Malfoy's fathers worked in the Ministry, except Lucius Malfoy was his own category of arrogant and often flaunted his wealth around important Ministry officials. My grandfather dislikes him very much, but he doesn't show it. I remember him telling me how quickly he wanted Draco to find his wand so he could be out of the shop.

"As for Potter," Malfoy sniggered, "My father believes it'll be only a short time before the Ministry carts him off to St. Mungo's...they have a special ward," and then I saw Malfoy's attention change to another person, but I didn't know who he was talking about, "...a special ward for people whose brains have been addled by magic."

And then, I'm not really sure what happened in the short span of seconds following Malfoy's conversation. I could have sworn that someone was charging at Malfoy but the next thing I knew, I had been slammed into the ground, only seeing the shoes of this moron. I stood up and brushed off my robes and bent down to pick up my textbook, only to see another hand grab it. Without thinking, I jerked it back, a mild scowl on my face. I looked up and I saw Hermione. I'm guessing she was the one who tried to pick up my textbook.

"Who knocked me over?" I demanded.

Hermione didn't say a word as she turned her head in the direction of the current situation. I saw Crabbe and Goyle both laughing, flexing their grossly beefy arms in front of Malfoy to protect him from whoever tried to come at him. I wondered who could have been that fast and heavy to knock me over. As I slowly absorbed the scene, I discovered that Harry was holding back a very red in the face Neville Longbottom, as an aiding Ron helped restrain him. Neville was furious and, well I really don't want to admit it, but he looked frightening. I think it's the fact he appears to be unimpressive in all areas really makes it a surprise. I was still pissed he knocked me over though, surprise or not.

"NOT FUNNY...MUNGO'S...DON'T...I'LL SHOW..." he sputtered loudly between scattered breaths, his throat being blocked by Harry's arm around his neck. Before I could get any closer, lo and behold our Professor arrived. He berated the three Gryffindors and of course, ignored us Slytherins as he deducted points from Gryffindor. My classmates and I quickly shuffled inside, only to find another special surprise waiting for us like an unwanted Christmas present: Umbridge.

As if Potions wasn't hard enough already, having her critique our Professor and knowing she could see me was terrifying. As everyone settled into their usual seats, I saw Neville sitting with Gryffindor Dean Thomas, a solemn but obviously angry look on his slightly chubby face. I shifted my gaze as I heard some of my classmates whispering about Neville, Harry and Ron.

Those Gryffindors. Always charging headfirst into conflict, literally speaking. As Potions class slowly dragged on, I felt the hot piercing glare of Umbridge, scratching words onto her clipboard with a fluffy pink quill. Sickening. As I spilled red worm juice onto the dog-eared pages of my _One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi_, I pictured in my mind a Livid Lima plant attacking Umbridge, the image distracting me from my potions work as I accidentally poured too much of this lime green liquid, causing my mixture to make low but audible crackling noises.

As my school day ended, I finally crashed onto a couch in the common room, my hair falling out of the braid I put it in this morning as my books and rolled up parchment of my notes and half-finished essays were in disarray on the floor. I rested the back of my neck on a firm but comfy tasselled pillow as I kicked off my black shoes. So much for relaxing politely; I was exhausted and needed to stretch out. I had to patrol tonight from six to midnight and for once, I wasn't really looking forward to it. Don't get me wrong, I like the status of prefect and the perks. But lately, it was wearing me down a little.

Something else bothered me too. This, how should I put it, _group_ that Harry, Hermione and Ron are in charge of...any word of that? Would we actually practice defensive spells, or was it just a valiant pipe dream? What if Umbridge found out? I have no desire to mutilate my hand again and whoever snitches to her deserved what would come to them.

I absently rubbed my scarred hand, worry clouding my current emotions right now. I was not looking forward to my grandfather seeing this.

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><p>Ahh, sorry for the wait. Sorry about the short and mildly disappointing chapter, it pales in comparison to Chapter Eight. In other news, I've picked up a sweet housesitting gig for the next 2 weeks and uh, there's Pottermore :) I got in early, woot woot!<p>

Thank you guys so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites. All the love encourages me to continue writing this fic!


	10. Chapter Ten

**Ophidian Girl**

I do not own Harry Potter. JKR does.

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><p><em>Things forbidden have a secret charm.<br>- Tacitus_

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><p><strong>Chapter Ten<strong>

I never liked the rain. Double Herbology was a mess because raindrops as heavy as hailstones crashed onto the roof of the greenhouse we were in, so not only did I have to listen to Daphne and Tracey gossip and whisper in silly voices, I had to stomach the sound of the rain. It was so gloomy and stormy outside that my Care of Magical Creature class was relocated to a classroom. Not that I enjoyed the class any more inside than outside. Professor Grubbly-Plank was okay, competent at least, but I don't really care for the class. It's not my cup of tea. At least she knew what she was doing, unlike Hagrid.

Out of the entire school week, I liked Tuesdays and Wednesdays the most. No Potions with Snape, no Defense Against the Dark Arts with awful witch Umbridge. I still saw her skulking around the castle like she was searching out students to punish or reprimand. The weird thing is, I often saw Pansy and Millicent talking to her. I would not be surprised if Umbridge was a mini-Pansy when she attended Hogwarts. Both were ugly though, that's one thing the two had in common.

After my classes of the day ended, I ascended to the seventh floor, where I'd be stationed from four to seven tonight. It hit me that this is where I had been for detention and where the Fat Lady portrait was. In other words, Gryffindor territory. I got some condescending looks from Gryffindors, especially the older girls as I stayed to the side of the corridor and avoided being near anyone. I frowned in distaste. Who even wrote these schedules down? I bet it was that Ryan. Hufflepuffs always liked to be fair and equal. Such nice goals wouldn't last in these times, not with You-Know-Who and his minions running about the English and Scottish countryside.

"Cornelia, I think there's something around your head."

I turned around to face the fourth year Ravenclaw who was curiously looking up at me as if there was something buzzing around my head. I raised my head up as if to check for whatever she was focused on. She looked so serious about her imaginary things, almost made me second guess that there really was something circling my head. There wasn't of course. That'd be ridiculous.

"My...what? There was nothing," I scoffed, crossing my arms across my chest, making sure my prefect badge was visible. She paid no attention to my badge as she shrugged her shoulders gently. "What are you even doing on this floor?"

"Arithmancy." Right, the Arithmancy classroom was on this floor. Explains a lot. "Oh, Ginny told me that Harry says there's another meeting. Eight tonight."

I raised a brow. I hated hearing things from along the grapevine. "But where?"

Luna didn't take offense to my curt tone as she replied, "Here."

_Here_. I sighed. How convenient. "Exactly where is here? In the hallway?" Did all Ravenclaws have to be so vague? She almost reminded me of my grandfather, how vague and yet specific he could be sometimes. Not that I appreciated it right now. If Harry and his friends did find somewhere for our secret group to convene, I _would_ like to know.

The blonde girl chirped. "Nope. Right by that tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy being clubbed by trolls. It's a fake though, the real tapestry has a purple hippogriff with a flaming sword...Daddy says so."

I looked over my shoulder to look down the hallway to find the tattered old tapestry of that idiot wizard trying to train trolls for a ballet. He was about to get smushed by one troll's foot. I never understood why people desired such stupid things. I'm pretty sure the tapestry wasn't a fake, but I knew what she was talking about...well most of it anyway. I tuned her out once she started talking about purple hippogriffs and Arabian sand worms.

"Good to know then," I nodded my head as I gingerly rubbed the back of my hand, my mutilated right hand starting to itch. Now that most of the scabs were gone, it still itched like mad. I tried blotting my hand with some itch relief potion, but I found the vial to be empty. I think Pansy may have been behind it.

Luna smiled at me in her usual dreamy way, which was almost creepy. She was a Ravenclaw alright, but she wasn't the usual stuck up swot like most of the girls were.

"Oh...that's not just any scratch, is it?" she asked me, her cloudy grey eyes peered down at my right hand. I quickly shoved it back into my cloak pocket.

I shook my head, a sarcastic look on my face. "What gave it away?"

"There's writing on it."

If I had been drinking something, I would have responded to Luna's statement with, how you say, a spit take. I leaned forward for a split second before adjusting my robes. The blonde girl with the wand tucked behind her ear was gone. Luna was so abrupt in her goodbye, I almost though she had something else to say but I guess not. She was certainly something though.

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><p>It was seven-thirty as I hurried through my supper, gulping down my delicious glass of pumpkin juice as I wiped my face with a napkin and quickly made my way back up where I had been for most of the afternoon: the seventh floor. As my black shoes hit the floor of the seventh floor corridor, I heard the faint voices of Harry and Ron. Although us fifth years were allowed to be out until nine pm, and prefects as late as schedule called, I couldn't help but feel antsy. I would rather not run into Umbridge or Snape on this floor tonight.<p>

"Harry, are you sure you can trust Dobby? His plans aren't...exactly safe," To my surprise, I heard Hermione's concerned voice. I didn't care who this Doopy was, but apparently they had a plan of sorts. I lingered around the corner from the tapestry, not wanting to make my presence known quite yet.

"Anyone on the floor?" Ron asked.

"Filch is on the second floor, Mrs. Norris on fourth, Snape's in the dungeon and Umbridge is in her office. We should be okay," Harry said, which caused me to frown. How did he know they were on different floors? Then again, it was practically common sense, right?

"Oh wait, there's another dot here..." What dot? As I thought about what Harry meant by dots, I felt a pair of eyes on me. I turned to face Harry and I almost jumped back onto the corridor wall. I quickly gained my composure as I adjusted my shirt and tie.

"Cornelia," Harry said out of relief, tucking away something in his pocket- I didn't get quite a good look at it- "Good, you're here."

I shrugged. "I was here earlier. Part of my patrol."

He made a little 'oh' noise as he and Ron started walking back over to Hermione as I followed behind. How did he know I was behind there? The Boy Who Lived could speak to snakes, common knowledge after that whole Chamber incident in second year, vanquished You-Know-Who when he was a year old...he may well have some unnatural abilities up his sleeves. My grandfather certainly suspected so.

I waited quietly, pressing my back against the stone wall next to the tapestry, slightly annoyed that the trolls were stomping and crushing about. One of the trolls stopped to watch Harry, and so did I. He was pacing back and forth with an impatient expression on his face until it waned to him pondering over something. I could tell he was focusing intensely on something, but what?

"We're not going to actually meet in this hallway, are we?" I asked Hermione as she shook her head and then let out a surprised gasp.

"Harry look!" And I looked too. Out of nowhere, the bare wall next to the tapestry began to contort into an elegant but rustic doorway. Ron looked suspicious of the door. Even I didn't know about this magical door. Or whatever it was. I wondered how Harry knew about it.

As Harry pulled open the polished door, Hermione, Ron and I were led into a spacious and beautifully decorated area with lit torches, cushions to sit on and...bookshelves? _No no no_, we are not going to be reading here, are we? It felt like I was walking into the old classroom of Professor Lupin and even fake Professor Moody's classroom. There were so many dark objects, strange detectors and funny looking instruments. Maybe the castle recycled old items? I don't think I'll ever fully figure this mad place.

I could tell Ron was enthusiastic now that his worries were gone as he ran about the room, pointing at objects to Harry and explaining what they could be used for "And these cushions will be great for Stunning!" he kicked up a cushion with his foot and caught it in his hands before tossing it back down on the ground.

"Or for sitting," I spoke in a sarcastic tone, "You know, the usual purpose of cushions." Out the corner of my eye, I saw Hermione smiling at the rows of wooden bookshelves, pulling books of the shelves and setting them on the nearby table. Did she honestly expect us to learn from those? After reading the rubbish for our current DADA class, I didn't want to go near another textbook again. Ever.

Harry seemed satisfied, almost excited even. I could see his green eyes dart about the room before a loud knocking noise caught our attention. As I made my way back to the entrance, the door swung open and I nearly collided with the side of the door. I rubbed my head, narrowily avoiding the doom of having a red mark on my face as I saw who had arrived: Ron's sister Ginny, Neville, Lavender Brown, her friend Parvati and that tall boy Dean. All Gryffindors. But I was first.

"Impressive, hm?" I said, raising a brow at Ginny. She nodded quickly as she led Neville into the room, who was looking as nervous and lame as usual.

"Whoa! What is this place?" Dean asked in amazement, picking up a Foe Glass. I heard Harry sputter out the explanation; that this was the Room of Requirement. However, he was interrupted by more people. Pretty soon all the people who had signed the parchment arrived. Even that git Smith strode into the room. Frankly, I thought he would have ditched the group, but I guess not. Perhaps he had a little bit of that Hufflepuff loyalty that the House was known for. As everyone settled down and sat on a puffy cushion, Harry began to speak. I sat next to Ginny and Hermione, although I moved my cushion a few inches away from either of them. I happen to enjoy elbow room, you know.

"Well, uh," he began in a somewhat nervous tone, "This is the place we've found for practices, you've-er-obviously found it okay-"

"Oh it's fantastic!" Cho gushed, and most of the girls agreed. The Weasley twins, much to my surprise, weren't as excited. One would expect jokesters to like the strange and bizarre, but I guess not. Dean asked Harry about the various Sneakoscopes and Foe-Glasses, but Harry put them aside before he started to talk again.

"So...I've been thinking about what we ought to do first and- what is it Hermione?" Harry saw Hermione's hand in the air. I don't believe he expected her to interrupt but then again this was Hermione 'Know it all' Granger. Maybe it's a force of habit. Snape was right in the fact she was a know-it-all. Of course, I wouldn't say that to her face, but it is true.

"We ought to elect a leader," she said.

Cho spoke up as soon as Hermione finished her statement. "Harry's leader."

"Yeah, Harry should be leader! He's been through all this cool stuff, fighting Death Eaters, defeating You-Know-Who," Colin Creevey had so much excitement in his voice, some of the other people started to murmur in agreement.

"Yes, but to make it official, we will vote on it," Hermione decreed.

I don't understand why she wanted to make it official. It was quite unanimous that everyone in this club of sorts wanted Harry to lead and teach us. Even I did. I may be prefect and like the taste of authority, but I hated teaching other people. As everyone raised their hands to vote for Harry, I slowly raised mine up too. Smith was the last to vote but his face said otherwise. Oh please.

"We should also have a name. I feel it would promote a feeling of team spirit and unity."

As people threw out suggestions and titles for this club of sorts, I snorted, stifling a laugh as Hermione whipped her head towards me. I think she's been taking notes on Ryan and Rebecca's speeches about prefects working together. My sole reason for being in this club, if it can be called that, was because I hated Umbridge and her class. I wasn't here to protect other people or to 'work together' or other Gryffindor crock. I was here so I could actually better myself.

"Cornelia, what do you think we should be named then?" Hermione shot me with a question I didn't see coming. All eyes on me. Not what I wanted.

"Well it needs to be a name that nosy idiots can't automatically assume. I'm quite sure a title like Anti-Umbridge League," I glared at Quidditch player Angeline Johnson, "or Ministry of Magic Are Morons Group would give us away like that," I snapped my fingers at 'like that' as I huffed at Fred and laid my hands on my lap, closing my eyes. I was annoyed that Hermione called me out like that.

"Well, what about the Defense Association?" suggested Cho, and I slightly nodded my head. Finally, a name that didn't sound stupid. "The D.A. for short, so nobody knows what we're talking about?"

"Yeah, the D.A.'s good," commented Ginny as I turned to my left to hear the redhead speak. "Only...let's make it stand for Dumbledore's Army. That's what the Ministry fears, right?"

I liked how Ginny took Cho's idea and twisted it into her own. Very good, Ginny. She was right about the Ministry's fear. The Ministry of Magic was trying to cover up what happened last year, and there were rumors that my grandfather told me that our current Minister was fearful of Dumbledore taking his position.

"All in favor of Dumbledore's Army?" Hermione asked bossily, counting everyone's hands in the air. I voted too. I heard the scratching noise of her quill onto the parchment as she must have titled it Dumbledore's Army.

"Right," Harry finally spoke after Hermione had basically stolen his leadership as he began to walk around us, "shall we get to practicing then? I was thinking that we should all start with _Expelliarmus_, the Disarming Charm. It's basic, yeah, but I've found it pretty useful-,"

And here Smith goes and opens his mouth with "Oh _please_, I don't think _Expelliarmus_ is going to help at all. It can't defeat You-Know-Who." I groaned as I kneaded the bridge of my nose with my fingers. Hufflepuff Malfoy, he was.

"I've used it against him, and it saved my life last June," Harry responded quietly. A couple of 'ooh's filled the room as Smith opened his mouth to speak, but refrained from saying another word as he lowered himself back onto his cushion. "If you think it's beneath you, then leave."

Nobody left of course. Not even Smith. If I started a betting pool on how long it would be before Smith rats us out, how many takers would I get? Then again, my grandfather wouldn't be pleased if I was found gambling at Hogwarts.

"I reckon we should all divide into pairs and practice," he spoke very oddly as he eyed all of us, probably counting how many were here and if it would be split evenly. Everyone got to their feet and started to pair off: Ernie Macmillan with tall kid Dean, Parvati and Lavender, Luna and Justin, and Ginny with her boyfriend Michael. Harry glanced over at Cho, who was standing next to giggling Marietta as I stood alone.

I was partnerless. I'm shocked, truly I am. Wouldn't it make more sense for someone to WANT to Disarm me? Certainly there must be some people who absolutely despise Slytherin and want to give me what I deserved, supposedly.

Not that I deserved being Disarmed though. Harry noticed me standing alone, as he walked over to me. The great Harry Potter as my Disarming partner?

"Neville needs a partner. Why don't you go over to him?" he asked me, but I stopped listening after he said 'Neville.'

I half-lidded my eyes at him. "Why don't you?"

Harry frowned at me, his green eyes peering at through his black wiry glasses. They were an unusual green, but who was noticing? "I've got to go around and check on everyone, see how they're doing. It can't kill you, Cornelia."

_Maybe it will_, I thought to myself as I forced myself to walk over to the Gryffindope, his hazel eyes looking at me like I was sick. "Well, let's get this over with."

"Okay," was all he muttered as we raised our wands, listening to the shouts of Expelliarmus in the room but I focused on my own spell.

"_Expell_-," he started but I, Cornelia Ollivander, was too quick for him.

"_EXPELLIARMUS!_" So perhaps I may have been a bit rusty, but nonetheless Neville's wand spun out of his grasp and hit the ceiling before it rolled onto the ground. There was a giant smirk on my face as I twirled my oak wand in my hands. It had been a while practicing that spell, but I didn't really care.

"Blimey, Cornelia!" Ron shouted at me, between turns Disarming his partner. He must have noticed. Perhaps he didn't hate me as much as he used to. I ran my fingers through my hair, glancing over to expect Neville sulking- but he was reaching for his wand as I gripped mine and began to open my mouth with-

"_Expelliarmus!_" and my wand smacked me across the face as it dropped onto the floor. This was going to leave a mark next morning, I just know it. I grit my teeth as I saw Neville with a big goofy smile on his face. "I DID IT! I've never been able to use that charm, I did it! I did it!" His gleeful cheer reached Harry's ears as he saw the red line across my cheek and then looked to Neville in a surprised manner.

I'm pretty angry I got paired up with him. "Good one Neville!" Harry spoke in a encouraging voice but it sounded rather fake. I don't think he expected him to get it right so early. "Uh, Neville, how about you switch with Ron, Cornelia, you can practice with Ron."

Between shouts of Expelliarmus, books and Foe-Glasses colliding in the air, and Cho's friend catching on fire, the practice ended ten past nine, with the next meeting taking place next Wednesday night. Harry was rushing people to leave, especially since the fourth years and under were already breaking the rules by staying up past their curfew. As I saw people file out into the hallway and go into different directions, I was one of the last to leave.

"Cornelia?" I heard my name as I turned around to face Hermione.

"Hm?" I asked impatiently. I had to get back to the dorm without being interrogated by Pansy or Daphne about where I've been. Maybe they were already asleep.

"I'm glad you showed up." What a stupid thing to say.

I scoffed. "What'd you expect?"

She shrugged before walking up to me to speak. "I know it's not, perhaps, very Slytherin to join a group of people working for a cause-,"

"Other than being a Death Eater," I stated, correcting her. It was true, no need to deny it. "I'm in this...Dumbledore's Army to better myself. To protect my grandfather if need be. I'm not going to be fighting alongside you, Ron or Harry or anybody else." I could sense some disappointment from her. I'm not going into battle against You-Know-Who himself. That'd be a suicide mission. I only wanted to defend myself and my grandfather and seek shelter if this "war" escalated.

"Well, Cornelia, you are part of a good cause, whether you want to admit or not. Harry really appreciates you being in the DA, and it means that Dumbledore's Army has representatives from every House now..." she trailed off. By the way she ended her sentence, I knew she wanted to say more but decided against it.

"Good night Hermione," I spoke as I started to make my way down to the dungeons so I could finally get some sleep. Well, perhaps I should write a letter first...I wish I could tell my grandfather about the DA, but that wouldn't be smart, would it? I didn't want to lie to him, and I was already hiding the fact I had mutilated my right hand.

I wish I didn't have to hide so much from him. Believe it or not, being sneaky does take a toll on you. I do have somewhat of a conscience, unlike Malfoy and Pansy.

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><p>I changed my username, so don't freak out! It's from my Pottermore username :) Okay, I know it's been over a week since I updated. I start my second year of college on the 22nd, so I may be slow with updates. The good news, I'm getting a new laptop, yayy! :D<p>

So I've created a tumblr for this fanfiction! If you're interested, it's ophidiangirl[dot]tumblr[dot]com. I'll post snippets of chapters, info about Cornelia and yes, little spoilers. Nothing major but just little sneak peeks :) I'll also post ideas for other HP fanfics, so uh yeah! Shameless plug, yes, but I'm excited~


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Ophidian Girl**

I do not own Harry Potter. JKR does.

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><p><em>Vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others.<br>- Jonathan Swift _

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><p><strong>Chapter Eleven<strong>

It wasn't until the fourth meeting of the D.A. that Hermione finally devised a way for all of us members to be contacted when the next meeting would be. Between Quidditch practices and prefect duties, it was hard trying to find a usual night to meet and practice. However, I do think it was better for the meetings to be as sporadic and last minute as possible, as to avoid drawing attention. That's what a Slytherin would do. As I held the fake Galleon in the palm of my hand, I couldn't help but be impressed with Hermione's skill. Protean charms were sixth year level work, NEWT standard. What made the Sorting Hat put her in Gryffindor? Seriously, she would have been great in Ravenclaw, according to Terry Boot. For once I agreed with him. I flipped the Galleon in the air and caught it with my fingers, admiring the color and the date and numbers on it. Pretty clever, Hermione. Pretty clever.

So far Harry was focused on training us to learn the three most important spells: _Expelliarmus_, _Reducto_ and _Impedimenta_. Of course, I was able to master the Reductor Curse quite easily, only after four or perhaps five times. However, Parvati Patil upstaged me with the loudest, explosive Reductor Curse anyone had seen or heard; she managed to turn a table carrying the Sneakoscopes into tiny particles of dust. I didn't appreciate her stealing the show. I hate to say it but Smith managed to successfully use the Impediment Jinx on Hannah Abbott, and I was there when Neville disarmed Hermione, which caught everyone off guard. So far my partners had been Neville, Ron, Hermione and Padma. Never Harry though, because he was too busy wandering around the room and correcting people on either their pronunciation, their stance or aim. He truly was a Gryffindor, a natural leader even if he was anxious in the beginning.

Come to think of it, Gryffindors and Slytherins really were two sides of the same coin. I'd never say that out loud though, because nobody would agree with me, and frankly I don't blame them. I'm not even sure if I fully believe it myself. The two Houses have never gotten along, a feud that dated back to the founding of Hogwarts, when Godric and Salazar argued over whether Hogwarts should only allow purebloods as students.

It only worsened when I saw Draco, Pansy, and all my other Slytherin peers sporting new badges along with their green and silver scarves. It was the morning of the much anticipated Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Slytherin, which honestly was the only Quidditch match anybody cared about at Hogwarts because it was between the two rivals. I wasn't one for Quidditch, my grandfather and I don't care for the sport, but any excuse to get me out of class was a good one.

"Oh Cornelia," Pansy's pug voice rang unwanted in my ears as I nearly choked on the sausage biscuit I was having for breakfast, as it clattered onto the plate. I looked up and over to find Pansy, Millicent and Draco all wearing shiny new badges. "I was going to hand you a badge but Draco here seems to think you actually support Gryffindor!" she laughed in her usual shriek as Millicent gruffly chuckled before Draco cut in, placing his hand on Pansy's shoulder as his usual arrogant smirk began to take form.

"No I don't support Gryffindor, why would you think that?" I rolled my eyes as I sipped some of my pumpkin juice. Malfoy tossed me a silver badge in the shape of a crown, along with some writing etched on the crown. I turned it around and observed the following _Weasley Is Our King_. I didn't quite get it. There were three Weasleys on the Gryffindor Quidditch team, all of them in the DA, so I was confused as to who they were specifically talking about.

"You see, Ollivander, Slytherin is honored to have blood traitor Ron Weasley on the Gryffindor team as the new Keeper. With his Keeping skills, he'll always let the Quaffle in."

Oh so it was Ron. Right. "Or maybe Gryffindor is honored to have you as a Seeker for our team?" I clenched the fist holding the badge as I tossed the other half of my scarf around my neck before walking off, shoving the badge in my cloak pocket. As I approached the Quidditch stadium and settled into the Slytherin stands, I sat as far away as I could from Pansy, Daphne, Tracey and everyone else. I didn't exactly have, what you say, team spirit. I didn't care who won. As the spectator stands started filling up, I saw the teams form onto the Quidditch field, seeing a blur of red and gold, as well as silver and green. It was a rather nice day if I do say so myself, at least the weather seemed to be cooperating despite the fact it was getting colder. As Madam Hooch blew the whistle, the Quaffle was released into the air and the game begun. As I saw the players zoom about on brooms, I heard people beside me start to sing a rather odd and stupid song:

_Weasley cannot save a thing_

_He cannot block a single ring_

_That's why Slytherins all sing_

_Weasley is our King_

Hippogriff's arse, were they _really_ chanting that pathetic rhyme? If one was going to insult Ron, couldn't they have at least made it make more sense? Malfoy must have come up with it, because I really doubt Pansy's capabilities to write anything that could rhyme. I groaned as I lowered the hat on my head, making sure nobody saw me. The singing was louder and clearer whenever Harry flew near and when Ron failed to save the goal, I could hear the high pitched trills of Daphne and Pansy, along with many other voices:

_WEASLEY WAS BORN IN A BIN_

_HE ALWAYS LETS THE QUAFFLE IN_

_WEASLEY WILL MAKE SURE WE WIN_

_WEASLEY IS OUR KING_

I slid my glove covered hand down my face. For a split moment I wanted Gryffindor to win, just so the singing would stop already and maybe Pansy would shut up. As I looked across the stands, I saw Blaise and Theo watching the game, but not singing along. They were still wearing the badges though. I shook my head as I continued to watch the Quidditch game. Harry soon caught my eye, but he was arm to arm with Malfoy as the two scrabbled for the Snitch, which I couldn't even see because it was so small. As the anticipation grew, I saw something small and black barrelling towards Harry, my grey eyes widening to see it was a Bludger. It hit him on the back, as I turned my head to the direction it came from. Crabbe and Goyle, floating in the air like heavy sacks of sand, although I couldn't tell who whacked the Bludger at him. It couldn't have been their idea, those two were daft and brain efforts combined they couldn't have come up with a plan like that. Then again, Slytherins were known to break rules, and cheat. This however, was particularly a dirty trick. It didn't matter because I heard the Gryffindors scream with cheer while our side was glum and white faced with anger, Pansy especially.

Without realizing it, I grinned to myself, before it waned into a neutral frown as I tightened the scarf around my neck and began to file out of the stands with the rest of my Slytherin peers.

* * *

><p>In the common room, I heard Draco flout that Harry Potter, Fred Weasley and his twin George Weasley were banned from Quidditch, that Umbridge was finally giving Potter and the Weasleys what they deserved in the first place. As I reclined in a oval shaped black leather chair, away from Draco embellishing his story of how he was beaten and bruised by George, with Pansy by his side as she 'ooh'ed and 'aww'ed at his "injuries". It was like third year all over again.<p>

"I didn't see you singing, Cornelia," Tracey piped up as she walked towards me, her brown hair hanging over her broad shoulders. I leaned back even further in the chair.

"So?" I asked.

Tracey placed her hands on her hips. "You _were_ supporting Gryffindor, weren't you? You wanted them to win, didn't youuu?" Ugh, there's her stressing of vowels again. Her tone grated on my nerves. I rubbed my temples. "Just like_ Loony_ Lovegood, with her extremely stuuupid lion hat-,"

"No. I wasn't. I don't give a hippogriff's arse who wins in Quidditch," I said without looking at her, "You're just sour Slytherin lost. Perhaps if the team actually had _talent_ rather than buying their way in," I said the latter part a bit louder than I expected as I saw Draco's steely grey eyes meet mine.

"Ollivander, you wouldn't know what money was if it-,"

I stood up this time, getting aggravated as I walked over to him, cutting his insult short. "I happen to know what money is, Malfoy. The Ollivanders aren't exactly poor, you know."

He gave me a malevolent glare as I slowly edged away, some of my peers snickering. One has to pick their fights carefully sometimes, and I didn't want to make my situation any worse, even though I obviously had done nothing wrong. I headed back to my dormitory to change into my pajamas and look over the letter I started writing last night, but never finished. I picked up a quill and by the dying light of the candle, I began to write.

_Dear Grandad,_

_School is slightly better. I have not received any more detentions from Umbridge and my classes are finally getting more interesting. I enjoy Charms the most, I think, as well as Transfiguration. I wouldn't mind taking NEWT level for those, since you told me that in order to be a wandmaker, one must be proficient in those subjects. I guess I have to take NEWT level Herbology too. Herbology's bland, but it's better than Potions. Well, anything's better than Potions really. I didn't melt a cauldron but my potions and elixirs are always the wrong color or have the wrong scent, but Snape never takes off points. To be honest I'm still surprised he chose me to be prefect. _

_It's getting colder, but this is Scotland after all. I cannot wait for the winter holidays when I can come back to the shop and there'll be a hot cup of pumpkin spice tea for me waiting, right? You will make some, won't you Grandad?_

_Love,_

_Cornelia_

* * *

><p>The date on the fake Galleon had not changed yet, so it was back to my usual week of classes, and lowering my head whenever Umbridge was around. Much to my glee, I finally was able to dock points when I saw a sixth year Slytherin and fifth year Ravenclaw snogging on the third floor. People are rather disgusting when they're in lust really.<p>

I'm so glad that I don't have raging hormones unlike my peers. As I docked ten points from my House and sent the Ravenclaw girl scurrying away, I realized I was going to be late for my Care of Magical Creatures, but I had a brick in my stomach. Hagrid the half-giant was back and I really wasn't planning on dying today, on a Tuesday of all days. As I walked across the snow, wrapping my green and silver scarf even tighter around my neck to protect myself from the cold as I saw the giant man at the edge of the forest. Our professor was covered in purple bruises and cuts. I was going to die during this class and my grandfather would be heartbroken when he'd see my mangled body.

"We're workin' here today!" he yelled happily, which still wasn't much better as I rubbed my mitten covered hands to make more heat. The half-giant was carrying a carcass over his shoulder like it was normal to carry around dead things. I groaned. "Let's go'n a bit more, they prefer the dark..."

I heard Malfoy yell, "What prefers the dark?" as Pansy clung to his arm before he shook her off, a dejected Pansy clinging to Daphne now as most of my classmates walked farther into the forest. Every step I took was reluctant as we finally stopped.

"I've bin savin' a trip fer my fif' yers," Hagrid spoke, "Reckin we'd go an' see these creatures in their nat'ral habitat. What we're studyin's pretty rare. I'm pretty sure I'm the on'y person in Britain who's manag'd ter train 'em right-,"

This will be the only time in my lifetime that I will ever, _ever_ agree with Malfoy, so pay attention carefully. "And you're sure they're trained, are you?" Malfoy said with a panicked tone, a tone I don't recall Malfoy ever using. Hm, surprises really. "Only it wouldn't be the first time you'd brought ...wild beasts to the class, would it?"

I agreed with him. I agreed with smug, vain, up his own arse Malfoy. I wasn't the only one. Us Slytherins and even a few Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors were nodding in agreement. I didn't care if it hurt Hagrid's feelings, the man-or whatever he was- clearly had no danger filter.

But Hagrid didn't appreciate Malfoy's comment as he scowled at us before raising the dead cow above his shoulder a little more. " 'course they're trained."

How reassuring. No, really. I should be trusting to place my life and well-being into this man's large hands. Good to know. I shifted the weight in my stance as I waited for what we were going to see today. We walked to a darker place in the forest, hearing shuddering from some of my female classmates as we finally ended up in a small circular clearing where the trees were practically glued together and one could barely see the sky. It felt like the evening.

"Gather roun', e'ryone," he called to us as everyone anxiously walked closer and formed a lumpy group of people. "Now they'll be attracted ter the smell of meat, but I'm gonna give 'em a call anyone, ter let 'em know it's me..." he let out a guttural shriek that almost made Daphne faint and some were covering their already covered ears with their own hands. Hagrid let out another shriek and before I could yell that he was being barking mad, I spotted a pair of blank, white eyes between two twisted yew trees. The dragon-esque face peered out from the trees as I saw a skeletal black hoof hit the ground.

Thestrals. Those horses I've been seeing since second year, especially when I rode with Luna in the carriage. She could see them too. However, as I galnced around, most of my peers were wearing confused expression, muttering about why Hagrid hadn't made another call to these creatures. And then it happened. The Thestral began to eat the flesh of the dead cow and I heard disgusted screams. I looked around my group to see if anyone had actually noticed these animals, and my eyes found Harry, who was focused on it. Also, I saw Theo looking at the Thestral with distaste.

What seemed like forever since Hagrid last spoke, he finally asked the class a question. "Now, raise yer hands, who can see 'em?"

Out of utter reluctance I raised mine. Theo did too. Harry as well. And much to my surprise, so did Neville. Only four people in the entire class were able to see these winged and bony beasts. I wasn't sure whether this was a good or bad thing. Hagrid nodded at Harry, expecting him to raise his hand.

"Yeah...I knew you'd be able ter, Harry...An' you too Neville, eh? Oh and you two as well..." He didn't know Theo and I well enough by name, despite having us in his class for, you know, years now. I huffed. How rude. Malfoy opened his mouth again and accused Hagrid of what we were supposed to be seeing, looking very annoyed that he, Draco Malfoy, was unable to be part of the special crowd.

"These'r Thestrals," Hagrid stated proudly, "Now who kin tell me-?"

"But they're so unlucky!" interrupted Parvati as she inched closer towards her friend Lavender, who looked just as alarmed as she did. Such airheads, even if Parvati did perfect the Reductor Curse. "Professor Trelawney told me once that they bring awful trouble and misfortune to people who can see them."

Hagrid started chuckling. Like I'd take anything Trelawney said seriously either. "No, no, no. They're dead clever an' useful, they are! They pull the school carriages, 'course this lot don't get ter get much work." As he spoke, I saw a smaller thestral appear from the trees, and one was rather close to Parvati as she shuddered.

"I think it's near me!" she said like it was the end of the world, and some of my classmates also looked fearful still. I didn't really enjoy the fact I could see them either, but I wasn't screaming like a baby. I still think my death will happen in this class though, with Hagrid teaching it.

"It won't hurt yeh," he tried to calm down Parvati, who simply whimpered as he continued to speak, "Right, now, who kin tell me why some o' yeh can see 'em an' some can't?" He scanned the group, and who else but Hermione should raise her hand. Then again, I don't think anybody else knew why.

"The only people who can see thestrals," she spoke clearly, slightly unnerved she couldn't see them, "are people who have seen...well, seen death."

A hush fell over our class as I looked down at my black shoes, slightly sunk in the snow covered ground. So Theo, Harry, Neville and I were the only ones who could see them because we saw death. What a special group. It was a given that Harry could see them, that I could understand, but I was rather curious as to why Theo and Neville could see thestrals as well. Curious indeed.

"Ten points ter Gryffindor. Now thestrals are-," but Hagrid was interrupted.

_Hem hem_.

Like a knell at a funeral, everybody turned around to face Professor Umbridge, this time in a hideously ugly green hat and cloak, with her clipboard in hand. Oh not again. I winced as she made her way through to face Hagrid. I wondered if he was able to squash her. It was comical, seeing a short squat woman up against the burly half-giant Hagrid.

"You received the note I sent to your cabin this morning, didn't you? It was to notice you of the time I would be...observing your class," her round eyes looking directly up at Hagrid's. "I'm here to inspect your teaching methods."

He was done for. I just knew it. Hagrid was hopeless, as he tried to explain that maybe she could stop by another time since we were learning about thestrals today. She did her fake cough again, offended that he would try and push her to another day. He even tried to explain what thestrals were to her, but she made disapproving marks on her clipboard. I heard Pansy giggling behind me, whispering something to Malfoy as he snidely laughed as well.

"Appears to have short term memory...tut tut," she spoke louder than usual, on purpose I believe, as I heard Malfoy laugh harder. This was Christmas for him. As Hagrid introduced the class to the herd: a male with five females, Umbridge looked on with disgust and shock, although she quickly resumed to her sickly sweet smile. "Are you aware that the Ministry of Magic has classified thestrals as dangerous?" she said dangerous louder for the class to hear, as I saw Parvati and Lavender's faces return to that alarmed expression from before. "That they're a Four according to the Department for the Regulation and Control of..." I saw her pause. "Magical Creatures?"

"But they aren' dangerous!" he waved his arms around, "they may take er bite outta you if yeh really annoy 'em..."

Umbridge shook her head as she wrote something else on her clipboard. Hagrid kept trying to prove that it was just a bad reputation, that thestrals weren't as evil as people used to think. I sighed. He was a heavy stone in water at this point. As Umbridge began to question the students, Hagrid hesitated, not sure what to do now before he tried to continue with his lesson. As I pretended to ignore Umbridge when she came over to where I was standing, she began to ask Pansy questions. Makes sense. I had seen Pansy talk to her many times.

"N-no, I can't ever understand my Professor...he grunts a lot," she strained to get her words out, but I knew she was trying to hold back her giggling. She said her answer loud enough that I knew Hagrid heard her, and his face turned red. Like I said before, he's done for. As she paced around, I felt her pair of eyes watching me like a bird of prey. Absolutely creepy.

"I assume Potter can see these thestrals," Umbridge's smile was stretched so far it was thinning out like scraping butter on a piece of toast, "but Longbottom, you can see them too?"

He nodded shyly. I think he was scared of her, almost as bad as Snape. I heard her tsk.

"Now, whom did you see die?" she asked indifferently, but I knew what she was doing. As I peeked over to where most of the Gryffindors were standing, I saw Hermione's red face, probably flushed with anger as she looked at Neville being questioned about whose death he saw. Umbridge's a bitch, but I didn't even expect her to ask him that.

"My...grandad," he responded quietly, turning his head away from Umbridge. I bit my lip, narrowing my grey eyes at Umbridge. To be honest, I'm rather glad she didn't ask me that question but for some strange reason I thought of my grandfather when Neville mentioned his. My grandfather was old, yes, but he wasn't that old. No. He was only...only...well, not as old as Professor Dumbledore. I saw Umbridge's indifferent expression contort into an indulgent smile.

"And what do you think of them, Longbottom?" she prodded him with another uncomfortable question as she glared at the area where she guessed where the thestrals were. "Hm?"

"Uh, well...they're, er, not so bad," he spoke nervously. Umbridge frowned sympathetically which made me want to hurl.

"Oh, poor dear, the students are so frightened they cannot even form coherent sentences...this won't do, no indeed," she walked away from Neville as she turned her head back to the Gryffindors, which I can only assume she'd be leering at Harry. I could finally let out a breath of relief as she seemed to be done with asking the students. I heard Pansy sniggering along with Malfoy and Tracey, as I waited anxiously for class to end already. I wanted to go. Get out and never come back.

* * *

><p>"T-t-they're not so b-b-bad," was the first sentence I heard as I entered the common room at ten pm that night, after wandering the sixth floor, with Malfoy in the middle of the room with an unusual pitiful look on his face as Pansy shrieked in laughter, doubling over with giggle as she fell on her back on the love seat. Blaise was chuckling with an adoring Tracey on his arm as Theo looked on with his usual emotionless self.<p>

"Of course _Potter_ could see those freaks of nature, makes perfect sense," he started his tirade on Harry again as I rubbed my forehead out of annoyance, heading my way upstairs, but I stopped halfway up the stairs when I heard Theo speak.

"I can see them too Draco," he spoke clearly but not in a show-offy manner. Unlike me, Malfoy had respect for Theodore Nott, who was one of the quietest Slytherins in all our House. I think Malfoy respected him because Theo was more clever than him, but never rubbed it in his face. Also, Theo was the son of a Death Eater. And then Theo just had to mention me as well. "Cornelia can as well."

As I slowly descended the stairs, Malfoy eyed me, then Theo and back at me again. Pansy stopped her giggling as she shot daggers at me, probably jealous that Malfoy was looking at me. Certainly not in that way of course, but Pansy was irrational. "Well, Nott, I understand your situation. But Ollivander...I'm surprised," he said to me with a curious but somewhat malicious tone, "anything else you're hiding, Ollivander?"

"Nothing worth your attention, Malfoy," as I turned on my heel and slammed the door of our dormitory, forgetting that Millicent was sleeping. I threw myself onto my four poster bed as I sunk into the blankets. Forgetting to change out of my uniform, I slowly felt myself drift into sleep, thinking about my grandfather and thestrals.

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><p>So once I started typing this chapter, I literally couldn't stop, ahaha. Theo's really growing on me, especially when I read that JKR originally wanted to have a scene between Malfoy and Theo talking in the garden of Malfoy Manor and that he's one of the three during Harry's year who could see thestrals. So expect Theo being a slightly important character in this fic.<p>

Thanks for all the faves, reviews and alerts! It really does make me want to write more :)


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Ophidian Girl**

I do not own Harry Potter. JKR does.

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><p><em>I don't need anyone to rectify my existence. The most profound relationship we will ever have is the one with ourselves. <em>  
><em> <strong>- <strong>Shirley MacLaine_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Twelve<strong>

As November faded away and turned into early December, I was eager to return home to my grandfather and the shop. I wanted to smell wood polish and the fresh bark from trees, of pumpkins and conversation about wandlore. Unfortunately, I was buried under prefect duties, the occasional D.A. meeting and the mountain of homework I received from all my classes. The worst of it was from Potions and Transfiguration. I even got called up to hang up the Christmas decorations around the castle and watching over the first and seconds years who were too young to stay out in the cold during break time. Between all this, I barely had time to write to my grandfather, his letter still resting on my night stand. After I had a quick supper in the Great Hall, I went back to the common room to relax for a while as I ignored the sixth and seventh years. I didn't recognize anyone from my year, as I wondered what Malfoy and the rest of his lot were up to before I once again realized I didn't care enough to want to know. I went back to my dormitory as I picked up my grandfather's letter to read it again.

_Dear Cornelia,_

_I am relieved to hear you have not been in detention. I expected much better from you. Potions was never my favorite subject._

I shook my head. My grandfather aced every class he took.

_You are worthy of the prefect badge, and I believe Professor Snape realizes that. You're absolutely right about those NEWT courses, and I expect you to take all the NEWTs you can in sixth year, Cornelia. it will help you in the long run. You're such a bright and intelligent girl, you should get Outstandings or at least Exceeds Expectations on all your OWLS._

Well, maybe not Potions and the way Umbridge was teaching DADA, I didn't expect much either. Dumbledore's Army was a better class, a shame I couldn't get graded for participating.

_I miss you very much Cornelia. Expect a nice welcoming when you arrive back home. I'll be sure to make you your favorite tea, as always. Maybe we could have a nice plump roast for Christmas dinner this year? I know you'd like that very much._

_Love,_

_your Grandfather_

My grandad was the best in all of the world. I smiled to myself before folding the letter and placing it in the night stand drawer. I really needed to sit down and write back but I was running low on ink for my quill and I still had so many essays to write. As I grabbed some loose leaf parchment, I felt something warm against my chest. I lifted up the chain of the necklace and to my surprise, saw the numerals on the fake Galleon change into a new date and time. Unlike most people who kept coins in their pocket, I managed a simple charm to attach the coin to a silver chain I had in an old jewelry kit of mine. I wasn't going to use it for anything else, so it became a discreet way for me to carry around the D.A. coin without anyone noticing. The time was the same again: 8pm.

As I walked down the corridor of the seventh floor, I couldn't help but feel my pride swell as I saw all the tinsel decorating the ceiling and the floating holly wreaths. I had helped decorate this floor, as well as the Great Hall. I noticed Luna approaching the door to the Room of Requirement as she walked in, as I caught up with her. She stopped in the middle of the room as she gazed at all the Christmas trimmings around the walls.

"Oh hello Cornelia Ollivander," she greeted me politely but vaguely as she smiled at me. "Lovely decorations, really. I wonder who put them up?" she asked in a light and curious tone, as Harry answered her.

"Dobby. He's a house elf. Actually, he's the one who told me about this room," he explained, rubbing his neck with his hand. I nodded, remembering the night of the first meeting when Harry and Hermione were discussing this house elf.

"Mistletoe," she pointed to a small bundle of white berries as I instinctively jumped back so far I nearly knocked into Ernie Macmillan and Susan Bones, brushing off my arms as I gnawed on my lower lip, not quite saying I was sorry but still being apologetic. Harry had also backed away too, to which Luna responded, "Good thinking. They're infested with nargles," she tilted her head up to the mistletoe before her grey eyes focused back onto me. It was a bit unnerving how her clear grey eyes could just make you feel you were looking at her on another planet. Odd indeed.

I saw Harry's former Quidditch teammates come and interrupt us with their news that they had replaced Harry with Ron's sister Ginny, as well as the Weasley twins. I folded my arms across my chest in a bored mood. Malfoy kept repeating the incident at Quidditch so often I couldn't tell which version he spoke was the truth. He had a way of adding his own flair to the story. As the last three people entered the room, I sat down on a cushion next to Luna and Ginny as Harry began to speak.

"Well, uh, since there's no use in starting anything new before we have a three week break, I thought that we should just go over the spells we've done so far."

Harry's plan was met with the displeased grunt of Zacharias Smith, the unwanted Hufflepuff. "If I had known that, I wouldn't have come..."

"Oh so sorry that Harry didn't tell you then," Fred Weasley replied loudly to Smith as he sunk back into his cushion. I, and a couple other people, sniggered at this, including a piercing giggle from Cho Chang.

"As usual, we'll practice in pairs. We'll start with the Impediment Jinx, just for ten minutes or so," he stated as people started to pair off, half of us on one side of the room. As I ran my fingers up my arm due to no one approaching me right away, I began to walk towards Harry to ask if he would like to practice with me. However, I was stopped.

"Cornelia, you can practice with me," Hermione approached me with an eager expression, but she wasn't smiling. I shrugged as we walked off and Hermione went first with the Impediment Jinx, as I froze and was unable to move forward. It was a peculiar spell as it made my hairs stand on end. I didn't like the feeling of not having control of my own being. As I finally felt my muscles twitch, I fired _Impedimenta_ at Hermione in retaliation. It reminded me of when I used the Silencing Charm on her.

However, ten minutes were a breeze as we all picked up cushions to prepare ourselves for the Stunning Charm. Unfortunately not all of us could practice the Stunning Charm in one area so half the room would practice _Stupefy_ while the others watched. Luckily, Hermione and I could observe and wait. As we looked on, I watched Neville Stun the wrong partner, but nonetheless Padma Patil was Stupefied. I saw Harry congratulate him as he kept tabs on all of us, especially when it came to my turn.

"Nice, nice work Cornelia," he smiled as he looked over to Hermione as I could see he was suppressing a small laugh. "You and Hermione, er, are really the most talented at Charms," he stated the truth. I already knew this but I was always up for another moment when my skills were being appreciated. I closed my eyelids in pleasure as Hermione quickly recovered as she aimed _Stupefy_ at me.

But our last meeting came to a halt. A much unwanted halt.

"You guys are getting really, really good," he beamed, "Maybe when we get back from the holidays we can actually start some of the big stuff, like Shield Charms," I heard a lot of 'ooh's in the room, "or even Patronuses."

As people muttered in excitement, it died down quickly as everyone started to wish each other Happy Christmas and to be safe over the holidays. I licked my lips, my throat a bit dry from shouting spells for the past hour and I could go for a glass of pumpkin juice right about now.

"Have a merry Christmas time, Cornelia," Luna piped up, her wand sticking out behind her ear, her blonde shaggy hair falling onto her shoulders. I stretched my lips out to respond but I didn't. I looked over my shoulder to see Harry still standing in the room, waiting for something or expecting somebody. He was dangerously under a bundle of mistletoe. "I think Harry wants us to leave, he's waiting for Cho."

I frowned. "Why Cho?" I wanted to speak with him.

Luna shrugged with a half-smile. "Oh, because Harry fancies her. It's rather obvious." So even Luna Lovegood was super-observant. "Cho likes him too. She hasn't admired someone this much since Cedric," she spoke so bluntly that it almost sounded like Cho and Cedric broke up, rather than the boy dying last summer. I wasn't sure whether this was a good quality of Luna or not.

I exhaled sharply. "Teen relationships never last."

As the pair of us left the Room of Requirement for the last time until January of the new year, Luna walked closer to me, raising her head up due to me being considerably taller than her. "That's not true," she replied.

I laughed at her. "Yes it is. You think you're going to meet your _soul mate_, the _love_ of your life," I had air quotes around 'soul mate' as I began to let out smaller laughs between words, "and then there's the inevitable break up and all the 'Oh I never loved you' and-,"

"My dad met my mom at Hogwarts." Luna ended my rant with her statement.

"So?"

As if it were a squeak, I heard a sigh escape Luna's lips. "She died when I was nine. Dad still loves her though, and she loves him." She kicked her mismatched shoes against the dingy floor, ready to go her own way to the Ravenclaw Tower. "I don't think Death can take that away from her. See you soon, Cornelia," and like that, the blonde who thought of me as her friend left. I wouldn't see her for at least another three weeks.

"Have a nice Christmas," I muttered to myself as I lowered my head and began the long walk to the dungeons. The joy of knowing I'd be back home with my grandfather and the shop was a comforting thought.

* * *

><p>It was December 22nd, the second to last Friday of 1995. I was one of the last to board the Hogwarts Express, having nearly overslept and rushed packing my luggage as I hopped aboard the train, feeling lucky that since this was holiday break, I didn't have to walk up and down the aisle of the train to observe people or patrol. As I dragged my trunk down the corridor of the train, I couldn't help but wonder where Harry and his friends were. I hadn't seen them on the train...or anywhere really. For a split moment I wondered if he was okay. I kept peeking inside compartments, but most of them were full. I passed by Zacharias Smith sitting next to Ernie Macmillan and Justin Finch-Fletchly, his eyes darting towards me for the second I was standing there before he returned to talking to his friends. I'd hate to be his friend.<p>

As I neared the end of the train, I finally came across an empty compartment. Tossing my braid back, I dragged my trunk in the room and collapsed onto the seat. It wasn't even three seconds until a deep croak startled me, nearly making me jump a few inches back. I saw who was sitting across from me and the culprit of the noise. Merlin, it was Neville. It was like the bearded wizard himself wanted to make me miserable.

"I thought this was empty," I replied sullen and part of me wanted to drag my things out of the compartment and leave but I didn't want to go searching again. Neville grasped his brown toad as he looked at the fat amphibian with adoration. It was so gross looking with its bulgy eyes.

"His name's Trevor."

I stifled a cough. "Good for it."

"Him. Not it." His slightly chubby face frowned at me, as I leaned back onto my seat as far as I could. "You don't have to be so mean. I don't care what Gran says, y-you're not very polite," his eyebrows were knitted so closely and it reminded me of the time he lunged at Malfoy in front of Potions class.

"Neville, the world doesn't care what your 'gran' thinks. And frankly, I don't care if I'm not polite. The only people who deserve my manners are my grandfather and competent professors," I crossed my legs as I glared out the window, almost wanting to be sitting with Blaise and Tracey rather than be told off by Neville.

The round faced Gryffindor looked at me for a few more minutes without saying anything.

"You er, you like Harry, don't you?" he muttered softly but I heard him clear enough.

I nearly choked from inhaling air too fast as I glowered at him in disbelief. "What in the bloody name of Merlin gave you that sort of idea?" I shook my head with an outraged expression, slamming the palm of my hand against my head.

"I-I see you look at him a lot!" he spoke timidly. My reaction must have freaked him out. "You keep asking if he'd be your partner..."

That's because he has yet to actually practice with me. Harry had been everybody else's partner but mine. It wasn't exactly fair you know.

"...You may just be the biggest idiot I've ever met, Neville Longbottom. I don't have time for...for such _stupid_ things. It's already disgusting enough catching other couples in the hallways snogging or hearing the whispers of sweet little nothings during class. I'm not part of that crowd," I sneered, narrowing my eyes at him before I gave a small 'hmph' and swiftly turned my head to the window in the compartment. "Why would I ever care about another person more than myself?" I asked him a rhetorical question and our talking ceased for the rest of the trip, except for the occasional noise from his ugly toad. Silent, awkward and a much unwanted train ride.

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><p>When the Hogwarts Express finally arrived at the King's Cross station, I mentally leapt for joy as I grabbed my luggage and almost sprinted out of the compartment, leaving Neville in the dust as I quickened my pace down the train corridor as I got in line behind my other excited peers. As I descended the train platform, I scanned the station to find a peculiar set of grey eyes. My smile dropped as I couldn't find my grandfather.<p>

"Cornelia," I heard my grandfather's voice behind me as I turned around to face him, a faint smile on his wrinkled face as his grey eyes gave off a twinkle.

"I missed you so much," like the many times I had written that sentence to him, I meant it as I gave my grandfather a sincere grin. He patted me on the shoulder gently, his hand shaking. "I really did."

"I know dear. Come now, let's go home. I have much to tell you," he told me as I walked next to my grandfather, a few men and women greeting him and wishing him a merry Christmas. I stayed close to him, pushing our way through the station as we crossed the barrier to the Muggle side of King's Cross, taking the walk home back to Diagon Alley.

Diagon Alley was always so pretty during the winter holidays. The shops and stores that were still open during this time of year were decorated so beautifully that at night I could see reds, greens and other various lights outside my bedroom window. I wished the ice cream parlour was decorated, but the store was closed during the cold season. I loved the pumpkin pie flavored ice cream Mr. Fortescue always served me. As my grandfather unlocked the shop, we walked in as I let out a comforted sigh. For the next few weeks I'd be home, enjoying my time with my grandfather and not worrying about Malfoy, Pansy, prefect duties or Umbridge.

My grandfather conjured up a tea kettle as he mixed the ingredients together for my special flavor of tea. I sat on a stool in the kitchen, smelling the tea brew before me. He seemed a little distant, more so than usual.

"Cornelia, explain to me how come you have '_I must not disrupt class'_ on your right hand," he asked me without even looking at me. I gulped. I nearly forgotten that I was worried he would find out. I chewed my bottom lip.

"I, I have no idea what you're talking about, Grandad," I replied.

He set down a piping hot cup of pumpkin spice tea for me, a disappointed expression on his worn and tired face. I knew he was old, but he was looking a little elderly right now. "Cornelia, do not lie to me."

My eyebrows furrowed as I rested my chin between my hands, my elbows on the kitchen counter. I could smell the alluring aroma of my tea. "Grandad, don't get mad at me...it was detention from Umbridge. This is what Harry and I had to do."

"Why did you not tell me?" he asked me a little louder, his glasses inching off his nose.

"I didn't want to concern you. I thought I could handle it by myself. Grandad, Professor Umbridge is a nasty, vile bi-," My grandfather gave me a stern look, not wanting me to use crude language in his presence as he stepped out of the kitchen and stood next to me.

"Concern me? Cornelia, your health and well being is always a concern of mine. It has been ever since you were born, dear," he said, "I have heard many things about this Dolores Umbridge woman, and it is sickening she is undermining Dumbledore's authority. I haven't seen her since her parents came in with her to buy her wand. Shortest I've ever created."

I sighed. "Unusually titchy? She still has it."

His eyes darted to the ceiling, a usual expression when he was remembering something but he still kept the frown on his face. I guess I couldn't distract him with wands this time, because it usually worked.

"Have you kept your head down since?"

"Yes," I nodded, taking a sip of my tea. Delicious. Absolutely decadent. "Harry's not so lucky. I think he's landed detention with her a couple more times."

Taking a seat on the counter stool next to me, my grandfather's eyes widened in interest. "You've made friends with Harry?" he asked expectantly.

"Not exactly. More like...acquaintances. We had detention together once and we share the same classes. I've told you before, Grandad, I have no friends."

My grandfather drew out a long breath as he softened his gaze towards me, so I guess I was off the hook for now. "Cornelia, it is not healthy for a young lady of your age to not have...a friend or two. It does bother me sometimes that you don't have a single peer in your class that you don't-,"

I shrugged, finishing my tea as I set down the cup a lot harder than I meant to. "Slytherins don't make friends."

"That's not true dear. Silly girl," he tapped me on the nose with his finger, something he used to do when I was a lot younger, "your House does not define your qualities, Cornelia. You define your House. Now, let's see what we'll have for dinner..."

Sometimes I believed I had my grandfather all figured out, but then he'd go and say something completely unexpected and I would be at square one again. As I went to sleep back in my own bed, my grandfather's words about defining my house echoed in my drowsy mind.

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><p>There you go, Chapter Twelve :) Much interaction between Neville and of course her grandfather, two rather important people that will speed along Cornelia's character development. I'd like to think Mr. Ollivander would be a loving grandfather. Eccentric but loving. The next chapter will be Cornelia's Christmas and short segments about what she did over break before she returns to Hogwarts. I bet she's itching to get back to the D.A.!<p>

Thanks for all the lovely reviews and the faves and alerts. Keeps me chuggin' along. If it's not too much to ask, I'd like to ask those who put this fic to their story alerts would also review. I know you guys are reading the fic!


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Ophidian Girl**

I don't own Harry Potter. JKR does.

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><p><em>Christmas is the day that holds all time together. <em>  
><em> - Alexander Smith<em>

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><p><strong>Chapter Thirteen<strong>

I felt warm and safe inside my cocoon of heavy quilts and my blanket, curled up in a ball as my head rested against my pillow. My bedsheets were a light purple, my favorite color, and my grandfather had enchanted the walls of my bedroom to change colors throughout the day. On Christmas day, they were green and red as a small wreath formed on my closet door. I smiled sleepily as I tried to stretch my arms and legs in my bed but I was constricted by my tightly wrapped blankets. Squirming out of bed, I yawned loudly before rubbing the sleep from my eyes and scratching the back of my head. As my senses began to awaken, I could smell cinnamon, syrup and sugar. French toast. As I wrapped myself in a plush purple robe, I walked out of my bedroom and into the small living room that doubled as a dining room, as I saw the back of my grandfather, casting cooking charms one after another as the aroma of breakfast wafted in our small flat above the shop.

"Happy Christmas," he spoke with cheer in his voice as plates levitated in the air before landing on the kitchen counter, "You slept so soundly I did not want to wake you up so I let you sleep in," he remarked as his plate of breakfast landed at his usual seat at the counter. I gave him a questionable look.

"How long did I sleep? What time is it?" my tone was slightly frantic.

He chuckled deeply, beckoning me to come over and eat my breakfast. "It's one in the afternoon. No matter, it is still Christmas Day."

I groaned. I slept through Christmas morning, the classic time of the entire day to eat special breakfast and open presents. Then again, I hadn't rested that well since I arrived to Hogwarts this year. Usually I was up until the early hours of the morning working on my essays or reading those blasted Potions books we had to check out of the library. I stared down at my french toast, covered with syrup and a perfectly sliced square of butter slowly sliding off the bread. I couldn't imagine making this the Muggle way.

Breakfast, or more like noon-fast, was relatively quiet, my grandfather humming a tune as he ate his breakfast as I chewed mine slowly, savoring the delicious treat. After we finished, the dishes were enchanted to clean themselves as we went to the small corner of the living room where a swaying Christmas tree was brilliantly lit with little magical orbs of light bouncing from branch to branch, and animated ornaments that would talk if you looked at them. Under the tree there were three presents all labeled Cornelia in my grandfather's fancy cursive. I gulped as my grandfather encouraged me to pick one to open first.

I have always loved presents. The Ollivanders were wealthy, not fabulously rich, but my parents and my grandfather would always have presents for me. Call me materialistic but I loved it. The first gift was a round box as I had a strong feeling what it would be. I ripped off the shining wrapping paper as I saw the sticker on the round box: _Special Deluxe Pumpkin Pasties, Now With a Hint of Chocolate For a Richer Taste._

I could live off those pasties, I really could. I looked up to my grandfather, a simple closed lip smile on his face. He didn't care for the treats, but he knew I loved them and that my mother loved them too. As I set the box aside, I reached for the second gift, a heavy square shaped item. Maybe another box, or a book? He knew better than to get me a book, right? As I tore the wrapping paper, it was a book alright. Before my heart dropped in disappointment, I saw the shiny golden title etched into the hardbound book: _The Myth of Wandlore and The Magic of Wandmaking_. I saw tiny words at the bottom of the book that also said _With a Special Introduction by Garrick Ollivander._

"You wrote this?" I exclaimed, flipping the gilded pages of the book as my grandfather laughed. "You never told me about this!"

"Oh no, not the entire book, Cornelia. I just wrote a simple beginning page," he explained, his grey eyes almost winking at me as he sat down in his usual chair and eyed the last present. "I know you're not fond of books, dear, but I knew it was relevant to your desire to enter the wandmaking career."

I clutched the book to my chest. I wasn't a reader and I didn't care for textbooks, but this was a special exception. I gingerly set the book on the floor next to my box of Pumpkin Pasties as I grabbed the last present. Like my last present, it was heavy but as I gently shook the present, I heard a bunch of small parts shaking around. My grandfather merely shook his head as I opened the strange present. It was a beautifully crafted wooden box with a small handle attached and a latch holding together the top and bottom of the box.

"Open it," he almost whispered as I pressed the button. The small box began to enlarge as rows of small vials filled with a clear liquid, instruments that looked like paintbrushes and a rack popped out. I guessed what is was.

"A wand polishing set? Complete with an engraving kit!" I rested the box on my lap as I poked at the compartments holding all the items needed to properly maintain the luster and sheen of my wand, as well as engraving tools should I ever get a new wand handle. I grinned widely and for once I couldn't decide which present I loved the most. My grandfather fixed some tea for himself as he settled back into his chair. He needed the relaxation. My grandfather was known to work to the bone inside his workshop, crafting wands and running the shop. I hope he remembers to eat every day.

"Grandad?"

"Yes, Cornelia?"

My cheeks felt warm as I looked at my presents and then turned my head to my grandfather. "Thank you."

He raised his eyebrows a little, setting his cup down. "You're welcome, dear."

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><p>Diagon Alley was bustling the next few days, believe it or not, what with witches and wizards depositing gold into their accounts at Gringotts or immediately spending their Christmas Galleons on items. Ollivander's was only closed on Christmas Day, so the next morning my grandfather was up at the crack of dawn while I was sleeping in my bed. I think I may have heard the bell ring as people walked in, but I was too sleepy to care.<p>

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><p>As my holiday break dwindled back down to the last few days, I began packing my trunk for Hogwarts once more. I had missed the store and my grandfather so much, but at the same time I wondered how my owl Dorinda was faring by herself. She was a bit of a ditz for an owl, but I think she'd be okay in the Owlery by herself. On my bed sat my wand polishing kit and my wandlore and wandmaking book. I wanted to bring those two along, as well as quite a few Pumpkin Pasties. I'd hide them in my dormitory so the other girls wouldn't seek it out. I remember in third year I saw crumbs on Daphne's bed and found out she discovered my secret hiding spot for my treats.<p>

"You should leave a few of those pasties here, Cornelia," My grandfather was by the door to my bedroom, "you can not possibly eat all of them at school."

"I need all the sweets I can at school," I mentioned, stuffing two most pasties in my trunk but I saw the desserts float out of my trunk and back into the box. I frowned. "Really?"

"Yes, really," he spoke with a smile as he left me to pack, me muttering under my breath about the lack of Pasties at school.

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><p>Sorry the chapter sort of ended awkwardly but I have a serious question: according to Pottermore, they've released some new information about Ollivander such as his first name is Garrick, he was sorted into Ravenclaw (I was right, aha!) and he's actually Half-blood. I'm kinda ticked off because I already established in this fic that the Ollivanders are a pureblood family. I wasn't aware of this information because Pottermore wasn't even open when I started this fic. So here's my question:<p>

Should I go back and revise the story so that this fic matches the new info, or should I just keep things as they are? I'd really appreciate input.

Thanks so much for all the story alerts, faves and reviews :) It makes me want to write twice as fast!


	14. Chapter Fourteen

I do not own Harry Potter. JKR does.

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><p><em>Justice cannot be for one side alone, but must be for both.<br>- Eleanor Roosevelt _

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><p><strong>Chapter Fourteen<strong>

As I munched on a Pumpkin Pasty in my dormitory, grateful that I was the only person in the room for now, I couldn't help but wonder where Harry had been on his break. He wasn't on the Hogwarts Express on either trips, and neither were Ron or Hermione. I wanted to approach him about the next D.A. meeting, but I heard Smith's rant about how Harry was taking Remedial Potions with Snape and decided otherwise. However, it made no sense he'd be taking Remedial Potions. Snape never did private sessions with anybody ever, not even us Slytherins, so why was Harry taking private lessons? As I let that thought go, I gently tugged on the chain that held my fake Galleon. I hid the necklace under my shirt so nobody would be able to see it, which was a shame considering it was a nice silver chain. I left the dorm, descending down the staircase as I entered the common room, surprisingly full with students. Crabbe and Goyle were grunting about something near the bulletin board. Frankly, I'm surprised those apes are capable of communication. Malfoy was, much to my relief, not currently here. However, the cries of Tracey Davis distracted me as I saw Hestia Carrow talking to the red-faced girl, as many of the Slytherins turned their heads and curiously looked on, nosy about somebody else's business.

"H-he b-broke up with me o-over break," the brunette half-blood sputtered between hysterical cries as I shook my head. Frankly, I was surprised that Blaise Zabini would even date her, considering he often made snide remarks about purebloods in other Houses, him dating a half-blood was quite hypocritical. Then again, I don't claim to know people and I despised Blaise. If I _had_ to choose a side, I would feel sorry for Tracey, even if she was an annoying, squeaky gnat. "I-It was by letter. I l-loved him! Whyyyy?"

My lips contorted into a lopsided expression before shrugging it off. Exhibit A of why I didn't bother with relationships: the crying and the void left in one's body cavity after a break up. The Carrow twins could be considered the most sympathetic of Slytherin House, which is rather funny considering their cousins are Death Eaters. I saw Tracey cry into Hestia's shoulder and not wanting to keep viewing the melodramatic heartbreak unfolding right before me, I quickly left the common room, taking note that the next Hogsmeade trip was during Valentine's Day weekend. I had to go to the library, much to my annoyance, to keep up with the avalanche that were Umbridge and Snape's assignments. It had only been a few days since we returned from break, and yet it felt like I had been imprisoned for centuries. My grandfather wasn't wrong about fifth year; the essays and assignments never stopped, not even for a moment.

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><p>The next couple of days, other than Tracey constantly fishing for sympathy, the Slytherin common room was filled with murmurs, whispers and excitement over the Death Eaters breaking out of Azkaban, as well as the murder of some guy at St. Mungo's. I didn't quite catch his name as I heard Malfoy sniggering about something, probably related to Hagrid's probation. I rolled my eyes as I walked over to the notice board, another framed decree on the wall as I groaned out of irritation. Wasn't she getting tired of writing all those useless rules? Apparently now the professors couldn't discuss anything outside our class subjects, not that I wanted to talk to Snape or anything. It seemed like whenever something big happened, Umbridge would have a decree out banning it.<p>

Of course, that's what she was doing, right? Trying to squash the mutterings about the Azkaban escapees. Rating the professors on her personal scale of whether or not they were competent enough to teach. My guess as to who would be sacked? Professor Trelawney. Or maybe Hagrid, but he's on probation so I'd think it be counterproductive to then sack him. I don't claim to understand Umbridge though, nor do I want to.

Divination and Care of Magical Creatures classes were like being on pins and needles, and I could not imagine what it felt like for Trelawney and Hagrid. Even though Trelawney is the fakest seer I've ever had the displeasure of having as a professor, she would tremble and talk in a near hysterical voice, often forgetting to answer questions. She even ignored her two star pupils' affirmations about their most recent prediction. It was obvious she was on edge, and the half-giant wasn't much better. Since the thestral lesson, he hadn't shown us anything scarier. In fact, we just learned about a crup, a domestic dog looking creature with a forked tail. He was fumbling in his attempt to be professional and having Umbridge's beady toad eyes constantly judging him in silence made him mess up even worse. As class ended and I returned back to the common room, my ankles hurting from all the walking I had done today. Not two minutes after I collapsed into a black leather studded chair, I felt the spot on my chest where my fake Galleon rested against turn warm. Glancing around to make sure nobody saw, I lifted the chain up from under my shirt as I saw a new date and time on the coin. According to the coin, the next D.A. meeting would be tonight! I frowned when I realized how my mind nearly lit up in excitement. Was I really that fond of the D.A.? Granted, I was only in the group to learn spells and defenses to improve my skill and protect my grandfather if need be, but I felt something else tugging at the back of my mind. I couldn't quite understand what sort of feeling it was, so I ignored it for now and slipped the coin back under my shirt.

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><p>That night I was the first one to approach the Room of Requirement, after walking by the wall three times and desiring the meeting place for the D.A. I entered the magical room and waited for the others to arrive, flipping my wand between my fingertips due to my boredom as I cast <em>Tempus<em> to check what time it was. 7:52 pm. Harry, Ron and Hermione should be here by now. From the corner of my eye, I saw a discarded pile of paper suddenly appear on one of the wooden tables. Intrigued, I walked away from the wall as I picked up the stack of paper. It was the _Daily Prophet_. My grandfather didn't receive the paper anymore after the Cedric incident so I was unaware of what they were printing nowadays. The front of the newspaper was littered with ten photographs, the black and white people gritting teeth or had an insolent air about them. I frowned as I read each caption. Death Eaters, the lot of them had escaped Azkaban. The only other person to have done so was mass murderer Sirius Black, who actually entered Hogwarts in third year. He certainly caused a panic. I saw the names Dolohov, Rookwood, Lestrange, Mulciber and others...and the crimes they committed. The sole female of the bunch was a woman with an arrogant expression on her darkened face. She kind of looked like that murderer Sirius Black. If she had kept up with her personal hygiene, she could have been gorgeous. _Bellatrix Lestrange, convicted of the torture and permanent incapacitation of Frank and Alice Longbottom_. I narrowed my eyes, focusing on those last names. My grandfather's rambling of their wand types suddenly appeared in my mind, when I had first ran into Neville and his grandmother that day in the summer. It occured to me these may be Neville's parents. Incapacitation, what in Merlin's name did that mean?

I heard the door opening as I quickly tossed the _Daily Prophet_ to the side, forgetting momentarily about Bellatrix and the Longbottoms as I saw Harry, Ron and Hermione as well as a couple of Hufflepufffs approach, prepared for the first D.A. meeting of 1996. I smiled inwardly. Ron looked surprised to see me here so early, as well as Hermione. Harry simply nodded his head, acknowledging my existence.

"Oi, Cornelia, how was your break?" the ginger forced out a conversation starter as Hermione gave me an agreeable look. I saw Luna drift into the room from the hallway as if she were just passing through, letting my attention return back to Ron.

I blinked a few times before answering, "Uh...fine?"

"Good," he spoke, his eyes not facing me as he walked alongside Hermione to sit down on the cushions. I knew that Ron didn't hate my guts any more, but I hadn't exactly talked to him much, other than the occasional exchange of spells when we partnered up for D.A. He was super talkative around his brothers and Hermione and Harry of course, but surprisingly not to many other people. As everyone settled down onto the cushions, Harry began the first order of business.

"Glad to see everyone again," he put on a small smile as his green eyes shifted from person to person. I heard some people sniffling from colds as Harry continued. "So far we've done offensive spells, which are useful, but it's important to know how to defend yourself from an oncoming spell so we're going to learn how to perform-,"

"What do you mean?" Smith's loud voice interrupted Harry's talking before continuing on with, "Haven't we been learning how to defend ourselves this _entire_ time?" Hufflepuff Malfoy was such an idiot. Maybe if he kept his unusually wide mouth shut for two minutes, he'd have his question answered.

"Shield Charms. We're going to practice Shield Charms," he finished, although I heard the exasperation in his tone, "they're good for deflecting minor curses and hexes."

"Obviously not the Killing Curse," spoke Ernie Macmillan, a few of the D.A. members nodding in agreement. I wanted to slide my hand down my face. Was this idiot night or something?

"_Obviously_," Harry sighed. Do I detect a hint of sarcasm in his voice?

The room was silent for a few moments before he asked everyone to stand up and pair up before instructing us on how to perform a Shield Charm. As I expected for nobody to immediately walk over to me, I heard light footsteps walking towards me.

"You smell like pumpkins," Luna greeted me with a weird way of complimenting me as I raised a slender black brow. I had never partnered up with Luna before, and the fact she willingly walked away from usual practice buddy Justin Finch-Fletchly was a sign of something. Of what, I'm not quite sure of.

"Um, good to know," I slowly 'thanked' her as she slumped her shoulders. Maybe I shouldn't have stuffed a Pasty down my mouth before I left, if I smelled that strongly. Thank you for the self-conscious thoughts, Luna.

As Harry demonstrated an effective Shield Charm with Hermione, I heard her lecture in between casting the spell. "There are actually many variations of the Shield Charm, but I think Harry just wants to start with _Protego_, the first form," she turned to Harry as he affirmed the fact, "you have to move your wand in a waving motion, like you're trying to cover something. Protecting it, basically." Of course Hermione had already mastered _Protego_, that was no surprise.

We were told that one of us would be the attacker, to cast_ Expelliarmus_ while the other would use a Shield Charm. Luna and I decided that she'd be the provoker, hilarious I know, while I would try to successfully perform _Protego_. The next few seconds I heard rounds of_ Expelliarmus_ and _Protego_ as Luna raised her wand, and so did I.

"_Expelliarmus!_" her usually sweet voice had deepened to a near serious tone as I shook my wand, pronouncing Protego clearly, but I wasn't quick enough as my wand slipped out my grasp and ricocheted across the room. Shame and embarrassment boiled under my skin. Luna shrugged before responding with, "Oh you were rather close."

I knew I was close, but I couldn't produce it in time. I scurried to the other side of the room, grabbing my wand as I looked up to see Neville Longbottom successfully rebound the Disarming Charm on his first try.

"Neville, that's bloody amazing!" Dean exclaimed, having been his partner as a couple of the girls in the room looked towards Neville with curious interest. I expected a goofy grin and his jumping up and down, like he had done when he Disarmed me, but instead he looked rather serious and unaffected by the astonishment in the room. If anyone had improved, it was him, much to my chagrin. Harry congratulated him on mastering the Shield Charm on his first try and how amazed he was that Neville was improving.

"What's the next spell?" he asked with a tone of indifference, earning a frown on my face as I left the scene and returned to Luna, the only person clapping for Neville.

Harry shook his head. "I think once everyone's comfortable with the Shield Charm...we finally do the Patronus Charm."

'Ooh's and 'Ahh's floated through the room, some excited as I heard Luna say to herself, "I hope mine takes the form of a Runny-Legged Scuttlefiddler." Personally, I didn't care whether mine was corporeal or noncorporeal, I just wanted to master the darn Shield Charm first before we learned about Patronuses. The meeting went on for another forty minutes until the clock struck 9pm and it was time to leave. I saw Susan Bones and Hannah Abbott congratulate Neville, but he didn't seem too moved by it. Who replaced the loser with Mister Silent? Seriously. People filed out of the room as usual, me being one of the last to leave as I saw Ron, Hermione and Harry staying behind, the black haired boy clutching his forehead. I didn't take another step as I stayed and watched, leaning against the seventh floor wall as the trio finally walked out of the Room of Requirement.

"Maybe it's like a fever," said Hermione, as I saw her hand extend for Harry's forehead but he backed away. "It gets worse before you feel better."

"Those lessons with Snape make it worse! I'm sick of my scar hurting, of not being able to close my mind!" his voice was loud and sharp and he opened his mouth to speak, but closed it shut as I saw three pairs of eyes on me. They caught me red-handed listening to their conversation. My gut was right about those lessons, they weren't related to Potions at all.

"You didn't hear all that, did you?" Hermione asked as she walked over to me, a concerned expression on her face.

I shrugged with a forced smirk on my face. "I knew Harry was hiding something. Snape never does private lessons, ever."

Ron muttered something, probably cursing as to how I figured that out. Apparently I'm not supposed to know? Were this lessons with Snape the reason why the D.A. couldn't meet as often? "Mate, it looks like she found out."

Harry's green eyes focused on me before he flatly stated, "Don't tell anyone I'm taking Occlumency."

I was moderately shocked. Legilimency and Occlumency were advanced and difficult subjects not even touched upon at Hogwarts. I don't think even my grandfather could do such magic. "Occlumency? That's...not even taught here."

Hermione replied rather snappishly, "Harry needs it...for important reasons."

"What sort of reasons?" Maybe I should not have asked that.

Hermione deeply frowned. "No offense, Cornelia, but it's best you don't know about this. It's vital for Harry's mental defense but he's not working hard enough-,"

"I AM WORKING AS HARD AS I CAN!" Harry yelled at her, Ron staring in shock as Hermione broke her attentive gaze towards me. "You try having Snape search your memories, forcing his way inside your head! It's so easy, why don't you try it?" he seethed. I took a few paces backwards and used this opportunity to run like hell, turning my back towards the Boy Who Lived, the Gryffindor who trusted me enough to let me into the D.A.

Thinking back on it, I should have thought my decision over like a true Slytherin but I had never seen Harry so angry...not that I'd ever tell anyone, but it was almost as frightening like the time Neville lunged towards Malfoy. It's that loss of control that scares me.

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><p>So this chapter was to make up for Chapter Thirteen, since that was much shorter than my usual chapter lengths and to be honest, I didn't put much effort into the last chapter. I've decided to leave the story as it is. A random parting thought, I'm sorely sad that the movies didn't make Harry as sarcastic as he was in the books. He was such a smartass. Hopefully I'm doing him justice in this fic!<p>

Thanks for everyone for reviewing and leaving comments about whether or not I should edit the fic. I really do appreciate y'all :)


	15. Chapter Fifteen

**Ophidian Girl**

I do not own Harry Potter. JKR does.

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><p><em>As contagion of sickness makes sickness, contagion of trust can make trust.<br>- Marianne Moore _

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><p><strong>Chapter Fifteen<strong>

I kept my head low during the remaining weeks of January, patrolling the halls after dinner and working past midnight on homework assignments that gave me a killer headache the next morning. I was acing Transfiguration rather well, earning ten points to my House every time I mastered a spell or conjuration. I sometimes wondered if Professor McGonagall would like me more if I were in her House. However, I wasn't very happy the entire month. Every time I saw Harry, Hermione or Ron between classes I would feel like I swallowed a heavy brick. The D.A. meetings started to slow down. We would meet once every two weeks and I rarely saw the trio outside of class. Harry didn't come around as much when I was practicing with Luna, my newest partner. It did make me feel a bit better that she always approached me, rather than nobody wanting to partner up with me during the D.A. meetings.

The second Hogsmeade of the trip was here, and of course on a Valentine's Day. Muggles had commercialized the holiday and used the day as an excuse to buy overpriced chocolates and give promises never intended to keep. I wanted to stop by the Ollivander's in Hogsmeade and maybe grab a butterbeer at The Three Broomsticks. To be honest, there wasn't much to do in Hogsmeade if you were single, as much as I don't want to admit it. As I headed down to breakfast, I saw Dorinda perched on the table, holding a letter from my grandfather, as a small packages was tied to her leg. Stuffing a slice of buttered toast in my mouth, I snatched the letter and ripped the package from Dorinda as she wobbled over to me and began pecking at my plate, being the greedy clutz she was.

"No Dorinda!" I snapped at her as my barn owl scuttled away before flying up into the ceiling of the Great Hall and headed back to the Owlery. What a pig. I opened my grandfather's letter and that knot in my stomach loosened a little bit.

_Dear Cornelia,_

_Have a lovely Valentine's Day._

_Love, _

_Grandfather_

Short message. Perhaps he was busy. We had been exchanging letters less, because my grandfather often had to go on trips to collect more supplies for the store. My eyes trailed over to where I untied the small package from Dorinda's leg. I opened the gift, a few Galleons trickling out as well as a strange purple thing. I lifted up the object. It felt squishy but there was also a round object in there, somewhere.

"Can I eat this?" I asked myself, as I ripped the tissue paper away from the round object. A small blue ring fell out of the paper and hit the table, rolling until it met the bottom of my glass of pumpkin juice. I inspected the ring, a silver band with small etchings on the inside and a round blue stone set into the band. I love jewelry, and there was nothing in Hogwart's dress code about rings, so I slipped the ring on my hand as a smug expression crossed my face.

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><p>I walked alone to the entrance hall as I joined the queue of people waiting to be checked off by Filch and walk to Hogsmeade. For a February day, it was quite breezy and refreshing from the depressing weather of January, a good change. I stuffed my hands in the pockets of my black jacket, my purple scarf tucked in the collar and kept my neck warm and cozy. I looked pretty nice, if I do say so myself. Up ahead of me, I saw the back of Harry's head as well as a girl with sleek black hair. Cho. I half-lidded my eyes. So they were going out now? You'd think he'd have his own fanclub of girls clamoring for his attention and wanting to date him, but that had yet to happen. He was famous, but he wasn't much of a ladies man.<p>

"Cor-_neel_-lia," Pansy's screech slithered through my ears as I turned around to see Pansy, Daphne and Millicent all standing with each other. I didn't see Tracey outside. She was probably bawling her eyes out in the dorm. Fantastic.

"What Pansy?" I entertained her.

Her black eyes zoomed in on me as a cruel smile flickered across her pug face before it disappeared. "What do you think of Potter and Chang together?"

I looked to my left, seeing the couple pass inspection as it was now my turn to be checked off by Filch. "Why should it matter?" Seriously, why was she asking me this? It was almost as awkward when Neville assumed I had a crush on Harry. Which was preposterous, by the way.

Pansy looked like she had been bit, as Daphne whispered something in her ear before her familiar giggle filled the air. "Oh, nothing_ really_. I'd like to think even you have better taste in men than Chang. At least Diggory was good-looking!" she shrieked, as I saw Cho's head turn around, a pained expression on her pretty face. Harry merely sped up with Cho on his arm, and for a minute there, I hoped he didn't think I was one of the snidely laughing girls in the background. As I broke off from Pansy and her chorus of sniggering girls, I began to walk down the street to find the Ollivander's store. I saw Harry and Cho take a turn to that pish-posh tea room, that one where the cherubs fly above you and there's a bunch of googly-eyed people snogging over sugarbowls and tea. Pretty disgusting if you ask me. Of course, Harry's personal life was none of my business, but it was rather odd Cho would simply go out with the boy who witnessed her former boyfriend's death. Maybe it's just me who feels awkward about that?

I saw the familiar lighting of the Ollivander's store as I opened the door, a light ringing as I walked around. I recognized some of these boxes, wands that my grandfather had packaged and sent over here.

"Why hello Cornelia!" a balding, paunchy man wearing suspenders and round glasses entered the store lobby, his dark blue eyes meeting my grey ones. "I don't have any of your favorite tea...unfortunately."

"Mr. Birchgrove," I greeted plainly but with a faint smile on my face. Birchgrove was rather nice, one of the few people I knew I could trust. Also, I didn't immediately hate him unlike many other people. But not having a cup of hot piping pumpkin spice tea annoyed me slightly. Birchgrove gave me a grin as he sat down at the store counter. "So how has business been?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Slower than slow. But you're too young to be concerned with the business yet Cornelia," he always brought up my age. "How is Hogwarts for you? I haven't seen you since October!"

I sighed. "Not easy."

He muttered, repeating my 'not easy' phrase under his breath. "Fifth year is one of the most difficult years, yes. You will get more responsibility in your last two years as well," he explained, "but Garrick believes you can handle anything tossed your way."

Hah. I'm struggling with prefect duties, classes, D.A. and avoiding Umbridge whenever I can. Also, Harry doesn't talk to me anymore. As much as I wanted to tell this to Birchgrove, I remained silent as I looked around the store. I think he knew I was holding something back but didn't bother to bring it up. Smart decision.

"Just think Cornelia, four more months and you'll be finished with school. Will that cheer you up?" he suggested.

I frowned before nodding. "It's a thought."

Birchgrove stood up as he patted me on the shoulder and pulled something out of his pants pocket. A free Butterbeer, on the house. "I'm rather busy today...have to send out custom orders and I won't be needing this. Happy Valentine's Day, Cornelia." He escorted me out of the Ollivander's as I held the shining coupon with the words moving about, standing under the roof of the small shop as the skies began to turn grey and started to rain rather heavily. Not having a proper rain coat, I ran down the street to find the Three Broomsticks and walked in, as a few people turned around from the bar to look at the new customer. I saw Hagrid, looking more cut and bruised than usual. And then I saw Harry's face as I quickly darted my eyes away and found myself a small table crammed between other small tables. Wasn't he out on a date with Cho? Must have ended badly.

I ordered a butterbeer and handed over my free butterbeer coupon as I placed my chin between my hands, staring around the pub with a bored glaze in my eyes. I saw that Harry moved to another table once Hagrid left the pub, sitting next to Hermione, a woman with a pinched expression on her face, and odd enough Luna Lovegood. Wanting to keep my distance, I simply sat in silence as I drank my butterbeer, which was a lot tastier here than the Hog's Head. Then again, lots of things were better than that nasty tavern.

"Cornelia?" Luna's voice echoed in the tavern as I lifted up my head and licked my lips clean of butterbeer as a vacant but happy smile crossed Luna's face. I lowered my head and pretended to ignore her. I'm pretty sure I was unwanted in their group right now. The woman with the winged glasses peered over at me with a piqued interest but Hermione started to talk again as I finished my mug of butterbeer and proceeded to head out, still feeling those cloudy grey eyes on me as I walked out into the pouring rain, not caring about not having an umbrella.

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><p>It had been less than a week since the Hogsmeade trip and I began sneezing rather violently. So maybe it wasn't my best idea to walk around in the rain without a heavier jacket or an umbrella, but whatever. My nose was slightly red, throwing off my complexion and already making me feel worse than usual. I had to do something about my cold, so I skipped breakfast to head to the infirmary so I could ask Madam Pomfrey for some medicine.<p>

"Well, you should not have been out in that weather without adequate protection!" she chided, but in good humor as she handed me a simple glass bottle with a red liquid. "Two sips during the day and night for the next seven days. Can you remember that?"

I didn't know that the medicine would make me feel worse before feeling better. I sneezed so loudly during Divination class that Professor Trelawney was startled by the noise and nearly bumped into Umbridge, who earned a condescending look from the squat woman in pink. It wasn't entirely my fault, the professor should not have been standing so close to Umbridge. I did feel a pang of guilt when Umbridge almost banished the crazy seer off the campus, but luckily Dumbledore stopped that mad woman from banishing Trelawney. She was allowed to live at Hogwarts but she was no longer our Divination professor. Instead, we gained a centaur as a teacher. A handsome creature named Firenze, Lavender and Parvati were already googly-eyed for him the first day of class. I will have to give him credit, the centaur seemed slightly more competent and actually interested me in studying the positions of the planets and trying to predict the future.

However, I still found the subject to be bull. That class was almost as weird when one day Luna shoved a strange newspaper in my hands one day after lunch, as I recognized it to be the paper she often read upside down. How grand.

"You should read this, it's selling out rather quickly!" her pretty blue-grey eyes twinkled with an odd fascination as I turned the _Quibbler_ right side up, reading the bold words that caught my attention. "My daddy published Harry's interview and Umbridge has already banned it! Isn't that splendid? Hide it well!" and before I could utter a single word, she walked off humming a tune that sounded an awful lot like 'Weasley Is Our King'. I don't think she meant anything by it though. As I read the interview that Rita Skeeter, formerly of the _Daily Prophet_, conducted with Harry, I began to grow more interested and somewhat absorbed by Harry revealing the truth about the night he saw You-Know-Who return from ...the dead, I suppose. Darting my eyes around to make sure Umbridge wasn't near, I wanted to run to the Owlery before my first afternoon class started so I could send this article to my grandfather. He of all people would be fascinated and yet terrified to know You-Know-Who has come back, as well as the whole story from Harry's point of view.

That evening, I was relaxing in our dormitory, sitting on my bed with pillows propped up to support my back. I popped the cork of the medicine bottle and took two sips, tasting a bit like stale cherry drink. I had just barely closed my eyes until I heard the familiar sniffling of Tracey Davis, groaning as I placed a pillow over my head. The breakup was over a month ago, couldn't she move on already? Merlin, it wasn't the end of the universe. As the brunette sprawled out onto her bed, I felt a familiar warmth against my chest. Peering over to make sure Tracey couldn't see me check my fake Galleon, I looked at the time and date. I clutched the coin in my hand as I felt myself drift into sleep. Sure, I had a stack of work to do, but I felt rather drowsy. Maybe it was that medicine's fault. Certainly...I could...fall...asleep for...a while...

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><p>I stirred awake, the inside of my mouth dry and a bit sore from not drinking anything other than the medicine. I yawned and found that I was the only one in my dorm as I cast <em>Tempus<em> to see what time it was. 7:50 p.m. Before my mind was fully awake, my body literally launched myself off the bed, slipped on my black shoes and ran out of the Slytherin dungeon, running so fast that I nearly crashed into the last person I wanted to run into at night. Of course the one time I'm about to be late for a D.A. meeting, I run into my Head of House.

"Miss Ollivander, is there an explanation for you bounding about the castle corridors this late?" he was clearly not amused that I had been sprinting up the staircases and running down halls. "You're clearly not on fire, at least that would provide a reason for your running like a madman."

I darted my eyes back and forth. "Well sir, I left my medicine in...the, ah...in..." I paused, hesitating as I tried to continue this lie I began, tapping my chin with my index finger. This wasn't going as well as I hoped.

Snape cleared his throat as if he didn't want to bother with any half-assed lie I could come up with. "If you're going to lie to me, next time you ought to try harder and not stutter," he scolded me as he began to pass by me in the corridor as I finally was able to inhale some air, relieved. "Your curfew is in an hour. I suggest you finish whatever _urgent_ _business_ you have and see yourself to bed, lest I catch you in these halls again."

I shuddered. Grateful that I wasn't pestered about my business, I ran as fast as I could to the seventh floor of the castle, panting and finding it hard to breathe thanks to my cold. As I approached the corridor with the tapestry of Barnabus the Barmy, I saw the door to the Room of Requirement as I made a mad dash towards the ever decreasing-in-size door. I literally slammed myself against the door and yanked it open before I fell onto the floor, out of breath and mortified I had arrived in such a fashion.

"I've never entered the Room that way," Luna's voice was the first I heard after a few moments of awkward silence as I quickly stood up and brushed off my cheek, already self-conscious about my reddish complexion. I looked around the room to see mostly everyone staring at me, a smirk growing on Smith's face but I shot him a dirty look.

"Oh...kay, now that we're all here," Harry muttered loudly as he paced in front of us, grabbing a cushioned seat by Luna and Dean, "I've decided that we can finally begin practicing the Patronus charm."

Excited whispers and 'yay's filled the room, as I heard Susan Bones mention how cool it would be to produce a corporeal Patronus like Harry could, as Smith only jeered, breaking the joyful demeanor in the room.

"We're not fighting dementors," he raised his blond brows at Harry, his hands on his waist in an offended manner, "what could a wispy charm ever do for us?"

Hufflepuff Malfoy really grated on my nerves. Ron threatened Smith while Hermione stepped in and explained that dementors were dark creatures and that the Ministry used them to guard Azkaban, and one can never prepare enough to go up against a dementor. Since the Patronus Charm was advanced-level magic, we would start off by concentrating on a happy memory and not be worried about whatever form our Patronus took. There were two types: non-corporeal and then the semi-physical form that usually taking on an aspect of one's personality. I wondered what animal my Patronus would be.

Everyone would practice on their own, the first time we didn't partner up. I stood by a corner in the magical room, squeezing my eyes shut as I rummaged through the messy files known as my memories to try and find a particularly strong memory that evoked happiness. As I opened one eye to observe the rest of the D.A., people were struggling just as much. Hermione couldn't even produce anything immediately. Well, that's a first. As the meeting ended, I was prepared to walk out with Luna, my reluctant partner and acquaintance before I felt a hand on my shoulder. I spun around, ready to shout at the person who touched me. It was Harry, out of all people. I frowned, sniffling a bit because I didn't want to honk out a sneeze right in his face.

"What?" I asked.

Harry's mouth twitched. "...about that night when you overheard us-,"

"I know, I shouldn't have eavesdropped," I shrugged as I rolled my eyes up. Harry looked at me with those vivid green eyes of his as I hesitated before giving him my full attention again.

"It's my fault, I shouldn't have blown up at Hermione and scare you off. It's those lessons...I have to control my emotions but it never works out," he looked over to the side as the two of us exited the Room of Requirement and were now standing in the seventh floor corridor. It felt like the night when we first started having detentions with Umbridge; having an awkward conversation between the two of us.

"You didn't scare me." That was a flat out lie. I think he didn't notice my lie as he continued to talk. Was he honestly being sincere about this? I'd never had anyone apologize to me before, other than my grandfather.

"Well, anyway, I just wanted to apologize. You still shouldn't tell anyone though," he forced a smile on his face but I simply brushed it off. I nodded, promising to not tell anybody about his Occlumency lessons, even though I hadn't spilled the beans by now. "It's nice having you in the D.A.,

"It's nothing, Harry," I held up my hand in dismissal.

He shook his head eagerly. "You don't get it. It means everything."

I stifled a small laugh. "You know I'm only in the D.A-," but I was interrupted by him.

"For your grandfather, I know...but that's all that matters, right?" he asked me, expecting me to respond.

I rubbed my neck with my hand, unsure of how to respond. "Yes, it is." By the looks on his face, I couldn't tell whether he was disappointed or satisfied with my answer. We stood in the hallway for a few more seconds as we both departed in different directions to our respective Houses. As I headed down to the dungeons, a tightly wound closed smile was on my face and I was trying to fight it, but to no avail. Maybe I was a little happy we were talking again.

Just a little.

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><p>I just started my second year of community college so my updating schedule won't be as consistent. I'll try to update once a week! I originally had Blaise in this chapter but he didn't fit into the flow of things so he's being saved for later, as well as Theo Nott. They're rather important Slytherins in this fic after all.<p>

I'm pretty pleased with this chapter. I missed writing the developing friendship (just friendship I swear, haha) between Cornelia and Harry. Next chapter, Cornelia produces her first Patronus...I'll give you a hint, it's a bird of some sort...but what kind...hmmmm. Oh also, Neville.

Thanks so much for all the reviews, favorites and alerts, it keeps me going :)


	16. Chapter Sixteen

**Ophidian Girl**

I do not own Harry Potter. JKR does. I don't own any of the passages from the novels that are used in this fic, either.

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><p><em>There's a fat old lady outside the saloon;<br>laying out the credit cards she plays Fortune.  
>The deck is uneven right from the start;<br>and all of their hands are playing apart._

_- 'Dancing With The Moonlit Knight', Genesis_

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><p><strong>Chapter Sixteen<strong>

_Dear Cornelia,_

_To be completely honest, I have never heard of the Quibbler. However, upon further reading I recognize the editor's name: Xenophilius Lovegood. He, his wife and his daughter Luna all bought wands from me and I went to Hogwarts with Lovegood's father. Good man, he was. I found Harry's interview fascinating. He is only a young man, but he's burdened with such pain and responsibility. I hope I live long enough for a biography to be published of that boy's life, his life is very intriguing and of course you know about his wand and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's wand. That Cedric boy's murder was the reason I stopped our subscription to the Daily Prophet, and of course all the garbage that Skeeter woman used to write before she was fired. _

_I hope you enjoyed your Valentine's present. I gave that ring to your grandmother for her birthday, I do think she would appreciate you wearing it. It has no use lying about the shop gathering dust._

_Love,_

_Grandfather._

I admired the shining blue stone on my hand as I gently folded the letter back into its original crease as I set it down on my nightstand. Grandma Ollivander died before I was born, so I never met her. My grandfather met her through one of his customers and the rest is history. I've only ever seen pictures of the dark haired woman in the living room, and I think Grandad kept a picture frame in his workshop. She was beautiful alright, as most Ravenclaw girls were. Out of all the Houses, I heard the boys from Slytherin comment on how pretty the girls were, except for nutty Luna of course. Personally, if she would stop experimenting with how much stuff she could wear on her head, she could be a very pretty girl in that unique sort of way.

March came and went, with a blurry April taking its place and the pressure of the OWLs descended upon us fifth years without mercy. I could sense that heavy weight on everyone's shoulders as our professors unleashed a fury of essays, assignments and projects. However, some were taking the stress of the upcoming exams worse than others. Hannah Abbott, the blonde Hufflepuff girl in the D.A. group, was prescribed some Calming Draught to keep her nerves in check. She had burst into tears in our Herbology lesson and cried out that she was stupid and would fail her exams. Melodrama. The castle is rampant with melodrama and complainers. She was rather shaky during D.A. meetings and really shy, except when she was with that girl Susan. I have yet to meet a loud Hufflepuff girl, but the loudest Hufflepuff title was already taken by that git Smith. Frankly, I was astonished he still showed up for every meeting, but not without a snide comment or two, though. I'm sure Ron wanted to teach him a lesson; I bet he was itching to punch him square in the face.

I had a break from my prefect duties this week, much to my relief. As much as I loved the feeling of authority, it was wearing me down. All the hours of helping the younger students, having to patrol the halls late at night...it left little time for me to do my homework. I still needed to list the ten properties of a Bloodroot Poison for Potions, not exactly liking the idea of writing down the ingredients to such a deadly poison. Then again, Potions was a rather morbid subject, a class I couldn't wait to drop after this year. A Slytherin not wanting to advance to NEWT level Potions, how unlikely I know.

It only got worse when Professor Sprout decided to connect our lesson to a new potions we were beginning to brew in Snape's class. We would harvest yellow-flowered herbs from the poppy flower family and use those ingredients for our Potions class on Thursday. We'd be making Chelidonium Miniscula, a big word for a urine-colored liquid. I couldn't remember what it was used for but trust me, it looked nasty and I would rather be deathly ill than drink something that probably tasted like piss. Professor Sprout paced around the greenhouse as we began to cut the herbs and place them into small packets so we could save them for tomorrow. I looked down my aisle as I saw Pansy and Millicent ignore the task at hand and whispered something about Hannah. Daphne had originally tried to collect the yellow herbs but gave up as she began to obsessively brush her manicured hands through her blonde hair. To my surprise, Tracey was actually the only one doing any work, cursing under her breath in a squeaky voice as she tried to clip the flowers.

"You're cutting them wrong," I spoke flatly, her round brown eyes widening in embarrassment as she placed her dirty hands on her hips. "Well, you were."

Tracey tossed her brown hair behind her back. "Don't tell me what to do, Cornelia."

I wasn't sure whether I was more shocked that she didn't stretch her vowels or she had just told me off. Tough choice. I stuck out my tongue in a juvenile display. I rarely brought myself down to that level but Tracey wasn't really bright enough to understand any sarcastic or insulting statements. To avoid looking at Tracey, I glanced around the room and saw Hermione give me a glance and I took it as a smile. I guess Hermione and Ron liked me again too. We weren't exactly friends but they didn't hate me either. Perhaps Harry told them about the apology he gave me.

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><p>Tonight would be another D.A. meeting, but I still had two hours to kill before eight p.m. so I grabbed my book <em>The Myth of Wandlore and The Magic of Wandmaking<em> and headed to the common room. Thankfully Malfoy would be gone, probably skulking about the castle and Pansy was out with Daphne and Millicent. I had no clue where Tracey was nor did I have a desire to know. I sat in a dark green leather chair under a hanging green light. The fireplace flickered softly, sputtering out flames as I flipped to the chapter where I had left off, _Wandcraft in the 1300s._ Even though it was already April, the weather was more rainy and blustery than sunny. Then again, the word dungeon didn't exactly ring bells of warmth and coziness so a fire was always lit in the common room.

"I didn't take you as a book reader," as I shut my book out of annoyance and looked up to see the stringy boy standing a few feet from me. Theodore Nott. His face reminded me of a rabbit's.

"I'm not," I rolled my eyes, "but this book is actually relevant to my interests."

Theo made a little 'oh' noise as I huffed. Granted, I'd rather be bothered by Theo than say Blaise or Malfoy, but Theo was even more mysterious than the average Slytherin and he was rather clever than he let on. No wonder Malfoy respected him. Nobody knew much about him, other than his father was a Death Eater and that his mother died. Like me, he was an only child and wasn't compelled to join Draco's troupe of morons.

He sat down near me, his dark blue eyes gazing at me as if I were a specimen in a tube. "I wonder where you're off to at night. Every few weeks or so, you leave at eight and then return around curfew. Simply curious, that's all."

I shuddered, setting the book on my lap as I bit the inside of my cheek. Theo was either a creep or hyper observant. Either way, this conversation was veering in a direction that would potentially ruin everything the D.A. was working towards.

"It's none of your business, Theo," I spat out, narrowing my eyes at him.

Theo nodded nonchalantly, as if ignoring my irritated gaze at him. "Of course it isn't. I was just wondering. I can't imagine what a Slytherin prefect would be up to in the halls at night."

Sarcastic arse. I groaned as I opened my book again to try and begin this chapter that illustrated how wandmakers created wands during the 14th century. I found this subject truly fascinating and no gangly boy was going to distract me from my book. Before I could attempt to dive into this chapter, Theo spoke again.

"You should get going. Don't want to be later for whatever you're up to," he gave me a lazy wink as he reclined on the black leather loveseat. I ran back up the stairs to my dormitory to leave my book behind as I dashed through the common room, leaving behind a smirking Theo Nott. He was so weird and he was aware, which could be a potential threat in the future. I would have to discuss this with Harry. As I approached the seventh floor corridor, I heard Smith's loud voice echoing in the hall as I approached the Room of Requirement. Smith had a contorted red face as Neville was backed against the wall, clutching his wand. What was that Hufflepuff git up to now?

"What's your idea, huh, are you getting cozy with Hannah?" Smith prodded Neville's chest with his wand, momentarily distracting me as I wondered what the core of Smith's wand was before I returned my attention back to the squabble. "She'd never like a guy like you."

"I wasn't- Hannah was just upset and well, she was crying during Herbology," Neville was explaining something, mentioning about the waterworks during Herbology today. "She wanted someone to talk to her about the stress of exams." I kneaded the space between my eyebrows with my fingers. Don't tell me they were fighting over Hannah Abbott. Really now. That pink faced blonde was not worth yelling about. I wanted to slide my hand down my face but I caught Smith's eye.

"Ollivander, this doesn't concern you! Snakes always squirming their way into other people's business..."

I stomped over to Smith as I shot him a piercing glare, seeing his body flinch before he returned to his usual stance. "For your information, Smith, I don't concern myself with people's love life," I looked over at Neville and then Smith, "but you two are blocking my way into the room and I don't want to be late for the meeting."

Smith's expression twisted into reluctance compliance as he backed away from Neville, still looking sour as he walked into the room. I lingered in the hall for a few moments with Neville as he turned to me, about to say something before I cut him off.

"It's rather obvious Smith is a jealous person, even when he doesn't possess a girlfriend," as I sneered, "not that he ever will."

Neville merely shook his head as he went into the room before me. The door closed shut behind me as Harry waited for me to sit down before talking.

"Okay, we're going to pick up from last time and continue working on casting the Patronus Charm. I wish we had a boggart to practice with," he muttered the 'boggart' part under his breath, as I understood why. Not exactly easy to pick up a dementor and use it for practice. As the people dispersed into their usual spots, I found myself concentrating on trying to successfully cast my Patronus. I went through the recesses of my memories, trying to pick out the happiest moments I could remember. Harry explained that it would have to be a particularly strong happy memory, a feeling that not even the dementors could take away from us. To my surprise, Hermione had difficulty with hers, mainly because she's so logical and prioritized with her emotions that she found it hard to simply remember a happy thought and allow her Patronus to take shape.

But this is Hermione Granger we're talking about, and soon a silvery otter was swimming in the air above us. It was rather pretty if I do say so myself. As time passed, ghostly animals pranced about the room. Ginny's Patronus was a proud horse galloping across the floor, Dean's was a falcon swooping down near Ron's Jack Russell terrier, who escaped its clutches by knocking Neville down. However, I felt pretty down that I had only produced a few puffs of silvery mist. Harry said that non-corporeal was just as important as a corporeal Patronus but I was curious about what animal mine would take the form of.

I sat down on the floor, trying to concentrate and find a memory deserving of casting a Patronus. I squeezed my eyes shut, stills of my life shuffling before me before I zoomed in on one particular moment.

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><p><em>We had just left Fortescue's and we were back in the wand shop. I was sitting on a bar stool near the shop counter licking my pumpkin pie ice cream cone that Grandad bought me. I remember wearing a purple frilly dress with black Mary Janes, which was a rather Muggle outfit on me but I didn't seem to mind. I think this was around the time I decided purple was my favorite color.<em>

_"Enjoying your cone, Cornelia?" he smiled at me, those grey eyes looking right at me._

_I nodded happily, my feet kicking the back of the stool, content with my little summer treat as my grandfather walked around the shop, straightening wand boxes on the shelves._

_"Grandaddy?" I asked._

_"Yes Cornelia?" he responded back._

_I grinned, ice cream still on my upper lip. "I want to be like you."_

_My grandfather looked at me quizzically. "Whatever do you mean? Certainly you don't want to be an old man like me," he spoke the last part with a half-smile._

_I smacked my lips. "Nooo Grandaddy," I started to explain the best a nine year old could, "I want to be a wandmaker. Like you."_

_"Oh?" my grandfather was caught off guard by my response. "Cornelia, the life of a wandmaker is very difficult. Your father worked very hard for a long time."_

_I shook my head, a frown forming on my little face. My father had died in the last year, and even though I had come to terms with it I still did not like it when my grandfather brought it up. "But Daddy's dead and nobody's gonna...nobody's gonna take his place."_

_"I suppose not," he rubbed his chin as he walked back over to me, placing a wrinkled hand on my back. "Would you truly like being a wandmaker? One day you will be running Ollivander's and that is very big job for a little lady."_

_I jumped up and down on my seat, still grasping the cone in my hand. "Yes yes! I can do it!"_

_He let out a chuckle as he patted me on the back and gave me a warm smile. "I would love that very much, Cornelia."_

* * *

><p>I faded back into reality, inhaling deeply as I brushed my fingers through my hair. I decided I would use that memory. It was only six years ago but it would have to do. Some of my other memories included getting the prefect badge in the mail or my Hogwarts letter but this is what really defined the most. I stood up from the floor, brushing off my skirt as I held out my wand.<p>

"_Expecto Patronum_," I spoke clearly but with conviction as I pointed my wand at an imaginary dementor, squinting my eyes as I allowed my memory to fill me up with joy as a soft swirl of silver light emanated from my wand. I heard people turn around and I felt a couple pairs of eyes on me as I felt a positive feeling overcome me. I opened my eyes and nearly gasped in shock at what I saw. Strutting about a few feet above my head was a magnificent male peafowl, or rather a peacock. I saw its silvery plumage extended behind its head, walking on air as I could almost see the 'eye' design in its feathers.

"So gorgeous!" Lavender gushed, "oh I still can't do it!" she added, still shooting puffs of smoke out her wand. I saw Cho's face and I guess she was feeling a mixture of jealousy and awe. I had seen her Patronus take the shape of a swan. My peacock was better than some stupid swan.

"Great, great!" Harry smiled at me and for that moment, I couldn't help but feel like the most important person in the room. I was the only Slytherin and now my Patronus was the most elegant anyone had ever seen. I basked in the attention for a few more minutes until I noticed Harry leaving to try and encourage Neville. He was so red in the face from concentration he almost looked like a tomato with a uniform.

"C'mon Neville, try to think of something happy."

Neville looked miserable. Uh, the whole point of performing the Patronus Charm was to feel happy and good, not be a sad sack of bones. He was doing it wrong. I glanced around the room, more and more of the D.A. members forming their spirit animal guardian. Padma's was an dolphin and Justin Finch-Fletchly was showing off his moose Patronus, with a jealous Smith glaring at him. I had yet to see Hufflepuff Malfoy produce anything.

Then the room fell silent and people stopped breathing. I blinked out of confusion as I turned to find Harry talking to a frantic house elf who I assumed must be the one who told Harry about this room. Everyone's Patronuses faded into a dark silver mist, the room taking on a darker air. I bit my lip as I was disappointed to see my beautiful peacock vanish. I stepped closer towards Harry and the house elf, who was squeaking his name in such a tremble that Harry couldn't figure what it was saying.

"She...she's..." it managed to sputter out of fright. Harry clutched the elf's arm as Hermione looked on in horror and sympathy. I think she used to parade around for house elf rights or something ridiculous last year. Hermione didn't get it, did she? House elves live to serve. My grandfather never required their use, saying they got in the way of his work but I wouldn't be opposed to having one as a personal servant.

"Who is 'she', Dobby?" he demanded to know as the elf looked up to him with such fearful eyes that the realization hit me like a rogue Bludger.

Umbridge. My gut feeling was confirmed when Harry asked Dobby if he meant Umbridge. The elf nodded.

"You mean she's found...she's found out about the D.A.?" he slowly spoke but I knew he was panicking inside. I could tell people were getting antsy as well, Parvati clutching Lavender's arm out of anticipation and Colin Creevey taking a few steps back. "Is she coming?"

"Yes, Harry Potter, yes!" he let out a howl as the elf began to torture himself, which earned terrified looks from the crowd. I gulped.

"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? RUN!" he bellowed with such force that I was almost knocked down by his yell. He didn't need to tell me twice. The only places I could think of hiding were either the library or the Owlery and I felt sorry for those who honestly thought they could make it back to their dormitories. I was in a knot of people stampeding towards the exit, Luna following Cho and then I realized that Cho's friend hadn't shown up tonight. Before I could put two and two together, I was in the corridor and I began running, not caring where my feet carried me. I saw Luna leap like her hare Patronus and I had no doubt in my mind that she'd be safe from Umbridge. I was almost flying until I ran smack into a wall and felt my muscles freeze. Oh no. No. No. No.

"I KNEW IT!" and the familiar shriek filled my body with dread and nausea. Pansy. I couldn't move at all and I could only feel her obsidian eyes on me. How could I have let myself get caught? I didn't stay behind to help people or anything. Stupid, stupid, stupid! "I knew you were up to something, but with nasty Potter?" she nudged me hard with the sole of her foot as she yanked me up and basically dragged me over to the woman in the pink tweed dress who was about to further ruin my life.

In that moment I almost began to regret ever joining Dumbledore's Army, mentally kicking myself for Hermione ever persuading me to show up at the Hog's Head, putting up with Smith's idiotic behavior, suspecting Smith to be the snitch when it really happened to be the most unlikely person ever. I wished somebody had noticed Marietta's absence but we were all so excited about casting the Patronus Charm...

"Miss Parkinson, excellent!" in a soft and dangerous voice spoke Umbridge and my blood boiled despite not being able to move. Umbridge unpetrified me but I couldn't escape Pansy's gargoyle grasp as I stuggled weakly. In the distance of the corridor, I saw a familiar blond also dragging an unlucky captive. My heart dropped. It was Harry. Once again he and I were both stuck in a terrible situation involving Umbridge. Only this time, my House was involved. Umbridge sent Pansy to search the girl's bathrooms and Malfoy to the library as it was just him and I standing in front of Umbridge. "Potter, Ollivander, you are coming with me to the headmaster's office. I had hoped you two would have learned your lesson but perhaps you two are lost causes."

We exchanged hasty glances, both thinking the exact same thing: what would Umbridge do to us?

* * *

><p>"Fizzing Whizzbee," Umbridge sang the password to the stone gargoyle as I felt myself bubbling with anxiety. I had never been in Dumbledore's office and judging by Harry's expression, he must have been in there before. We ascended the stone staircase and Umbridge, being the rude toad she is, didn't even bother to knock as she entered our headmaster's office with us in tow. To add to my anxiety, the Minister of Magic and Professor McGonagall were also in the room, as well as a strange redhead with glasses who vaguely reminded me of Ron. He may have been a prefect, I can't quite recall. He was holding parchment and a quill, as if taking notes. There was also a dark skinned man with great fashion sense who eyed Harry in the most curious manner. They all looked at Harry and me, the Minister more interested in Harry.<p>

'Well, well, well...do you know why you are here, Potter?" the Minister of Magic, who I have been told his name was Cornelius Fudge, interrogated Harry as I stared in shock. What was the man getting at? As I looked around the room, I saw Dumbledore. To make matters worse, he seemed unfazed by all this craziness. Odd.

"So you have no idea why you've been brought here by Professor Umbridge? None at all?" the Minister asked incredulously. Harry shrugged. "Are you not aware you broke any school rules?"

"What rules?" he asked and I couldn't help but lightly smirk at his comment before Umbridge gave me a nasty look. "I didn't know Cornelia and I broke any rules."

I nodded. Fudge shifted his gaze from Harry to me. "And who are you?"

Before I could answer, Umbridge cut me short. "This happens to be one of many co-conspirators found running in the halls; her name's Cornelia Ollivander and I believe she and Potter have been planning this behind the Ministry's backs for months."

I can introduce myself just fine, thank you. I frowned deeply before facing Fudge. "So you two have been running an illegal student organization this entire time, and you were not aware this was breaking Ministry decree?"

I saw Harry's green eyes flash as I decided to go along with his lies. "Nope." I could tell McGonagall wanted to get a word in edgewise but she held her tongue as Umbridge and Fudge looked at us as if we were marked for murder.

"We should bring out the informant, she'll settle this mess," Umbridge stated as she left the office and an awkward silence hung above our heads. Nobody looked at each other and I felt as if I couldn't breathe. Fudge was leering at Harry as if he were an old nemesis and the glasses wearing ginger merely looked at us as if observing animals in a cage. If I get out of this alive, I should ask Ron if he has any relatives in the Ministry. Just before I could take a deep breath, Umbridge barged back in with Marietta, who was unusually shy and hiding her face behind the collar of her robes. What was with that get up? Umbridge introduced the girl to Fudge, as I found out Marietta's mother worked at the Ministry. Uh huh.

"Galloping gargoyles!" Fudge nearly leapt into the fireplace behind him as I turned to see what scared him. Galloping gargoyles indeed. Smack dab in the middle of Marietta's face were purple zits that spelled out SNEAK and her face was now horribly disfigured by the pustules. I couldn't help but think no amount of magic was ever going to wipe that ugly off her face. Then again, for being a rotten snitch she deserved it. I pondered how she had the word marked on her face but then I came to the conclusion that Hermione may have jinxed the sign up sheet. Devious really. Have I mentioned she would have done well in Slytherin?

"Never mind the spots, just tell the Minister what you know-," Umbridge tried to coax Marietta into spilling the beans but the redhead refused to talk as she hid her mouth behind her black robes. Umbridge launched into a monologue about how Marietta approached her after dinner and told her about the Room of Requirement on the seventh floor. Umbridge asked for more information and the hex activated and Marietta refused to speak more because she was too distressed about her looks. Well, she should be distressed, she wasn't very attractive and made Eloise Midgen look clear-faced.

"Oh poor dear," Fudge tried to fake a sincere tone but it felt flat. "Don't we have a counterjinx or a healing potion for this?"

Umbridge shook her head. "I haven't found one yet. Doesn't matter. I can finish the story from here."

At that comment, I looked over at Harry as we both rolled our eyes at this. She'd been hogging the entire conversation anyway. "I have proof and testimony from one Willy Widdershins who happened to be in the Hog's Head at the time. He was heavily bandaged but he heard every word."

That man at the bar! Suddenly it made sense. Hermione really should have chose The Three Broomsticks over the Hog's Head, less likely we would have been heard. I heard McGonagall shout at Umbridge, something about toilets as a portrait screamed "Injustice! Corruption! The Ministry has really gone to the dogs as of late!" I had to agree with that yelling headmaster in the painting. Umbridge continued her tirade, claiming Harry was persuading students to join an underground social group and learn spells and curses that were deemed "inappropriate" by the Ministry. I'd like to know what sort of curses and hexes Ministry officials used. She was making Harry out to be some sort of outlaw.

"I find that you're wrong, Dolores," spoke the headmaster, surprising me. He had such a quiet voice, I hardly expected him to stay so calm during this entire ordeal. He peered at me through his half-moon spectacles. "Cornelia and Harry were not breaking any rules at the time. One cannot deny that they and multiple other students were in the Hog's Head but the decree banning student organizations had not been put into effect until...two days after the meeting, so these two were not breaking rules."

Harry and I both looked at each other in amazement. Fudge looked like a dead fish, his jaw dropping as the Weasley man bore an expression as if he had been slapped. Even Umbridge was motionless. She spoke quickly though, talking through a forced sweet smile. "That's all very fine, but this is now April and all following meetings are now illegal according to the Educational Decree Number Twenty-four. Mister Potter and Miss Ollivander are still breaking the rules and should be punished as such."

"Well, they certainly _would_ be in trouble, Dolores. Do you have any evidence these meetings continued after the decree came into effect?" Dumbledore asked Umbridge. What was he getting at?

"Evidence? Why do you think I brought Miss Edgecombe here? She can tell us that this...illicit _society_ has been meeting for the past six months. Haven't they, dear?" she gestured to Marietta to shake or nod as her answer.

Harry and I were toast. They'd have to send my grandfather my charred remains and I'd have to spend the rest of my dead life as a ghost in Hogwarts. As I was mulling over my doom, Harry cleared his throat ever so gently to attract my attention as I looked in the direction he was glaring at. Marietta's eyes were almost a pearly odd sort of blank as she shook her head. She basically denied every D.A. meeting.

I wasn't sure whether she lied because she looked like a monster or had a genuine change of heart. It was rather ambiguous. Personally I'd save my own non-acne covered face.

"But there was a meeting tonight! You just told me about the Room of Requirement! You said Potter was the ringleader! He organized it, didn't he? _Why are you saying no?_" Umbridge seized Marietta forcefully, the girl whimpering loudly until Dumbledore raised his wand at the woman in pink and the man with great fashion sense took a few steps forward.

"You don't want trouble now, do you?" he asked Umbridge in a deep voice. He was serious.

"No...I mean...yes, you're absolutely right Shacklebolt," Umbridge calmed herself down as Shacklebolt nodded slowly and returned to his previous spot. Merlin, he was cool. Even Umbridge seemed to respect him, or was terrified of him. I looked over to Marietta, whose oddly blank eyes didn't seem too bothered by the fact she was nearly manhandled by Umbridge. Harry was looking at her curiously but I didn't know why. As Umbridge continued to talk to Fudge about the meeting tonight and then she held out a parchment. Not just any sheet of parchment, it was the sign up sheet that Hermione had drawn up the first meeting. She held it in her grubby hands before giving it to the Minister.

"Oh look what a surprise, Potter's on here. And who else? Why there's Ollivander, and Granger and Mister Weasley," she gave the redhead in glasses a malicious look and the man looked like he was about to implode. "So many untrustworthy students joining Dumbledore's Army."

Fudge's eyes bulged as he looked between Dumbledore and Umbridge. "They...they named themselves that?"

Umbridge nodded with a crooked but seemingly sweet smile. "Yes."

Dumbledore took the parchment from Fudge and studied the parchment as if the note had slipped off his desk. He gazed at it with such familiarity, even muttering an 'ah' under his breath. I was just as confused as Harry as I shrugged when he looked over at me, probably wondering what Dumbledore was up to. Our headmaster returned his attention to Umbridge and Fudge, smiling.

"Well, you got me," he spoke, "Would you two like a written confession or will a statement before these witnesses suffice?"

I am lost. He was lying! Our headmaster, the man who faced You-Know-Who and is possibly the greatest wizard alive was pulling the wool over Umbridge and Fudge's eyes? Which House was he sorted into again? I'm pretty sure he was a Gryffindor. I wasn't the only one shocked. Harry's green eyes were widened with astonishment, McGonagall was speechless and Shacklebolt looked rather fearful. Fudge finally broke the silence.

"Statement? You mean...?" he pieced it together. "You were behind this?"

"Of course I was. It is named Dumbledore's Army, not Potter's Army."

Even though I didn't believe him in the slightest, you can't argue with that logic. Thankfully nobody had ever suggested using Harry's name as a title for our group. Fudge leapt back, almost catching his coat on fire as Umbridge approached Dumbledore, pointing an accusatory finger at him.

"You organized this association?" she asked him slowly, as if trying to believe it herself. Dumbledore nodded happily to her question.

"Yes."

"You wanted to recruit students for your _army_?" she stressed the last part.

"Oh yes. Tonight was the first meeting, merely to see if anyone was interested. However, I see it was a mistake to trust Miss Edgecombe."

I almost wanted to laugh at the amount of ridiculousness that was unfolding but that would break character and I didn't want to make matters worse. I think Harry was stunned at the moment.

"You HAVE been plotting against me and the entire Ministry all this time!" Umbridge concluded with a squeal, confirming her growing suspicions. "All those times of undermining my authority, it was all because you were building an army!"

"That's correct," he replied.

"NO!" Harry yelled. Oh no, Harry. I saw Shacklebolt flash a warning look at him and McGonagall wanted to say something as well. I think Harry finally realized what our Headmaster was doing but he didn't have to ruin it. "Professor Dumbledore, don't do this!" he cried.

"Harry, please be quiet or I will excuse you and Miss Ollivander from my office." He was going to kick me out too if Harry spoke out of turn again? Thanks Harry.

"Yes, shut up, Potter! I arrived to expel Potter but this- this is a turn of events indeed," Fudge spoke in a horrified delight. Fudge must have something out for Dumbledore, he was almost gleeful about this.

"You get to arrest me instead. How fortunate," Dumbledore smiled. Wait, they were going to arrest him? As in, send him to Azkaban? My jaw slightly dropped at the thought of our headmaster being imprisoned. It would certainly make Malfoy's year.

"Ah, yes Dumbledore. You will now be escorted back to the Ministry and you will get a one way ticket to Azkaban to await your trial!"

I could tell Harry was getting antsy and worried and I knew he wanted to yell at Fudge and Umbridge and save the day, bla bla bla. I was sort of worried as well, to be completely honest.

"Oh, you must be under the delusion I will come quietly. I have no desire to go to Azkaban. I could break out rather easily, almost like that Black fellow," and I swore he winked at Harry when he mentioned Sirius Black's name, "but I could think of a million things better to do with my time."

Umbridge was steaming like a red hot teapot, her face squishing up and burning until a man, with short grey hair and I had barely noticed being in the room, stepped forward as the man's hand drifted towards his pocket.

"Dawlish, don't be too hasty. I'm sure you are quite the Auror but if you, er, attempt to bring me in by force, I will have to hurt you. And I would rather not resort to that," Dumbledore warned him as if Dawlish were a schoolboy. Dawlsih blinked foolishly, unsure of how to respond to Dumbledore's gentle threat.

"Do you really believe you can take on Shacklebolt, Dawlish, Dolores and myself single-handedly?" Fudge sneered and his approval rating was rapidly dropping into the negative numbers in my mind.

"He won't be alone!" Professor McGonagall plunged her hand inside her robes, ready to draw her wand. I prepared myself for the onslaught of wizards and witches duking it out.

"No Minerva," Dumbledore held up his hand, dismissing her actions. "Hogwarts needs you."

As Fudge yelled at Shacklebolt and Dawlish to restrain Dumbledore and take him to Azkaban, the next few seconds were filled with the crackling sound of silver light, I backed away and hit the shelves of Dumbledore's personal library, as Harry and Marietta were pushed out of harm's way. Portraits yelled and screeched as a magnificent red bird pierced the air with its call and dust swirling in the office. I wasn't sure what happened as I ran towards Harry and Cho's friend, coughing a bit because I may have inhaled some dust.

"What happened?" I asked Harry sharply. He shrugged as he looked at the motionless wizards and witch on the floor. Shacklebolt, Dawlish, Fudge and Umbridge had been hexed, a shame really since I liked Shacklebolt's voice and clothes. McGonagall brought us over to Dumbledore, who was simply watching his phoenix bird circle around the room. I looked at all the damage in the office, all the shiny objects and books were flung everywhere. What a mess.

In a low voice, Dumbledore mentioned that he had to hex Kingsley and thanked the man for modifying Marietta's memory. I nearly choked on that. So Marietta hadn't been genuine, she was acting as if she didn't know anything about the D.A.! Harry and I exchanged strange looks as McGonagall and Dumbledore talked hastily about how they had to pretend no time had passed. McGonagall asked where he'd go but he spoke too softly for me to hear.

"Professor Dumbledore, wait..." Harry began to speak, his eyes filled with worry and guilt. For a split second, I felt the same way but then I realized it wasn't entirely my fault and that it would be silly for me to feel guilty.

Dumbledore peered at us through his half-moon spectacles, his wise old eyes not twinkling like everyone said they did, but with concern.

"Harry, promise me you will remember to close your mind," the headmaster then took Harry's wrist and held it in his palms and whispered something to him. As the wizard let go, he turned to face me, a half-smile forming on his face. "Do tell Garrick hello for me, will you?"

My mouth suddenly felt really dry, amazed Dumbledore was actually speaking to me for the first time ever. "...I...I will."

He seemed satisfied with my answer, taking a few steps backward as his phoenix bird lowered its golden tail. A flash of brilliant red and yellow light nearly blinded me and when I came to, our headmaster was gone. Travelling by phoenix? What was Dumbledore capable of? Harry's eyes were nearly frozen in its round, almond shape as he raised his arm, reaching out to where Dumbledore once stood. It was obvious Harry knew the headmaster quite well and seeing Dumbledore vanish was like seeing my own grandfather disappear. It was not a great feeling. He and I stood in silence as Fudge and the others stirred awake, frightened and puzzled as to where Dumbledore went.

"WHERE IS HE?" Fudge roared as Umbridge started to search through the office, McGonagall stopping the woman in her tracks. Umbridge gave McGonagall a sneer as she walked over to Fudge.

"He couldn't have Disapparated, that's impossible on school grounds!"

Well obviously our headmaster didn't Disapparate, Umbridge. He left by bird! Dawlish ran out of the office to investigate the stairs as Shacklebolt and Umbridge followed the Auror close behind and the office door slammed shut. It was now just McGonagall, Fudge, Harry and I. How terribly awkward and unsettling. Fudge huffed at us as the Minister brushed dirt off his coat and adjusted his hat. I stayed close to Harry, my grey eyes focused on him as McGonagall placed her hand on Harry's shoulder.

"You'd better send these three off to bed..." the man coughed to break the painful silence as he eyed Harry and I curiously. "I suppose this is the end of Albus Dumbledore."

McGonagall shook her head in a scornful manner. "I believe not," she replied to his nasty comment as she escorted us to the door of the office. Before we left Dumbledore's office I heard a painted man speak "You know Minister, I disagree with Dumbledore on many counts...but you cannot deny he's got style."

I smiled to myself when I heard that comment. Harry must have noticed my faint smile and he was about to whisper something but McGonagall started to speak.

"Potter, Ollivander, go immediately to your dorms. This will be, no doubt, nothing but wild gossip by tomorrow morning," she sternly ordered us to our respective House as she took Marietta by the hand, muttering about having to send the girl to the hospital wing and seeing if Madame Pomfrey could lessen her acne. The corridor echoed her footsteps and then the only sounds left were our breathing.

"That was pretty devious of Hermione," I spoke, not sure what to say after that whole ordeal. We just saw our headmaster vanish in fire and scraped by an expulsion. "About the SNEAK curse..."

"Yeah, yeah it was. I didn't even expect that," he spoke breathlessly. "I don't think anybody else got caught though."

I nodded. "Me either. I'm never going to hear the end of this from Pansy. She'll lord this over me for the rest of my Hogwarts career," I spoke in a fake woeful voice, earning a strained chuckle from Harry. I could tell he was visibly shaken by Dumbledore leaving, even though he was trying to hide it.

"...Thanks Cornelia."

I did a double take, brushing back some stray wavy hair behind my ear, confused. "For what?" I raised my eyebrow.

"I don't know, just...sticking around," he sounded tired. I don't blame him. "

I felt my face flush out of embarrassment. "It's nothing Harry. We just keep getting in trouble at the same time, I suppose."

"Yeah."

It was quiet for some time as I yawned and cast the spell to check what time it was. Almost ten p.m. I gulped as I looked up at Harry and then faced the corridor hall. "We should probably get to bed. We're going to be bombarded by people asking questions. 'night, Harry. I guess I'll see you in class tomorrow."

Harry said goodnight as well and I thought I saw a flicker of a smile on his face but I turned my back as we departed, going our separate ways: me to the dungeons and Harry to Gryffindor Tower. I couldn't help but think to myself that this was the beginning of the worst to come, and with Dumbledore gone, we were no longer going to have someone take the blame for our actions.

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><p>I almost left this chapter at a cliffhanger but I decided to be nice and finish it up at a whopping 7k+ words, especially since my real life is getting to be a bit hectic, what with college and training for a second job. I'll try to update this fic once a week or whenever I have free time to sit and type up a chapter. I promise not to leave this fic in the dust or not update for weeks on end.<p>

I also promise more Hermione and Ron as well. I feel as if I've shunted them to the side, especially this chapter, but I really wanted Harry and Cornelia to form some sort of friendship first. I figure if he likes her enough, those two will like her more as well. I want Cornelia's friendship with the Golden Trio to be a realistic progression, not just bam! friends lol. And then of course, Neville-y goodness :)

Thank you guys for all the faves/alerts/reviews :) It really spurs me to keep writing new chapters for this story!


	17. Chapter Seventeen

**Ophidian Girl**

I do not own Harry Potter. JKR does.

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><p><em>Power does not corrupt. Fear corrupts... perhaps the fear of a loss of power. <em>  
><em><strong>- <strong>John Steinbeck _

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><p><strong>Chapter Seventeen<strong>

Thanks to Pugface Pansy and her loose-lipped mouth, every Slytherin in the entire castle avoided me like I was the plague. There's a difference between _wanting_ to be alone and others _forcing_ you to be a pariah, and while I preferred the former, the latter happened. Tracey and Daphne gave me dirty looks every time I was in our dorm room. Millicent would shoot me a cold blooded glare with those dark gorilla eyes of hers with an involuntary shiver spiking through my body. On Pansy's command that hulking teenage monster would maul me to the point where'd I look unrecognizable. Malfoy wasn't much better.

"Ollivander's a filthy traitor just like Weasley and Mudblood Granger," he explained to Crabbe and Goyle in the common room as well as a couple of first and second years, "the Sorting Hat clearly made a horrid mistake of placing her in our House," he raised his voice louder when I passed by the blond pillock and his loser group, a disgusted expression forming on my face. Malfoy only jeered at me as he continued to badmouth me and how I tainted the reputation of such a dark and prestigious House and that the Ollivanders were a poor excuse for a pureblood family. Oh please, the Ollivanders were much better than the Malfoys. Granted, my family probably had cases of second and third cousin incest, but the Malfoys and Blacks often married their first cousins and honestly, that just made the brood mentally unhinged as well as a plethora of health problems. Malfoy clearly inherited the family jewels of arrogance and idiocy.

"Pansy'll do a much better job than you ever did as prefect, Ollivander," Malfoy pestered me from the other side of the room about how my prefect status was ripped from me by Umbridge. It hurt me so much to know that Pansy was now parading around as part of this so-called Inquisitorial Squad that Umbridge founded. Basically her Ministry Youth if you ask me. Bending the rules I could understand and was encouraged to do so as a Slytherin, but outright abusing that sort of power?

Professor McGonagall was absolutely right about the gossip spreading like wildfire. No matter where I went, everyone was talking about Dumbledore's escape and how quickly Umbridge had been appointed the new Head of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. A couple of third year Ravenclaws were worrying about fellow Ravenclaw girl Marietta and how she was in a private section of the hospital wing, wondering what happened to her and why Madam Pomfrey didn't allow anyone to visit her. She deserved that nasty acne, snitching on us like that. However, I couldn't help but feel smug when Justin Finch-Fletchy walked up to me after our Herbology lesson and apologized because he, along with a couple other people, believed I had revealed the existence of the D.A.

"I am terribly sorry for assuming you ratted the D.A. out," Justin anxiously apologized to me, "yet I still can't believe Marietta would do that to us."

I held up my hand, half-lidding my eyes. "Well, let's just say she got what she deserved," and I walked off, probably leaving a confused Justin as I accidently bumped into Ron Weasley, who was walking alongside Hermione, Harry and that other Hufflepuff boy Ernie Macmillan.

"Oi, what's the- oh, hey Cornelia," said Ron, surprised that it was me and not somebody else who ran into him. Who did he expect? I frowned anxiously but nodded my head to acknowledge his hello. I turned my head to face Hermione, who blinked at me a few times before she started to speak.

"Cornelia, I heard about your prefect status being revoked, how awful! That malicious old woman is just lording her power over all the professors and making ridiculous changes!" Hermione launched into a small tangent before the aggravating voice of Malfoy cut in, the sneaky git protected by his two pillars Crabbe and Goyle. It was already bad enough Hermione brought up the fact that I was no longer a prefect, but now Malfoy was in my general direction. How grand.

"Yes, Ollivander, what a shame you're not a prefect. But who needs prefects when one can be part of Madam Umbridge's newly formed Inquisitorial Squad?" he spoke in a sarcastic and snarling voice before slightly puffing out his chest when he mentioned the name Inquistorial Squad. I rolled my eyes. "Tsk tsk, looks like I'll have to deduct points from Gryffindor and Hufflepuff for those nasty words about our Headmistress."

"But only the professors can dock points from other Houses! Prefects can't do that," Ernie immediately accused Malfoy, Hermione nodding vehemently as Ron glared at Malfoy. I looked over at Harry, who seemed mildly agitated. I'm guessing he had other things on his mind than Malfoy threatening to take away points.

"Yeah Malfoy!" Ron agreed, pointing at himself and then Hermione. "We're prefects, remember?" I knew he was about to motion towards me but he realized I no longer was a prefect. Smooth.

"Yes, Weasel King, _congratulations_ on that observation," Crabbe and Goyle sniggered loudly as Malfoy smirked at Ernie. "You're wrong, Macmillan. Let's say I got a _promotion_ from prefect status," he then pointed to a shiny silver badge under his prefect pin. "I happen to be part of the elite Inquisitorial Squad. We support the Ministry's changes to Hogwarts and we're handpicked by Professor Umbridge. Perks include docking points from rude Mudbloods and contradicting losers," he then focused his eyes on me but I knew he was too much of a coward to dock points from his own House. He merely glowered at me before continuing his point deductions. "I don't like you Potter, so that's five...hm, ten for Granger being a Mudblood, five from Macmillan..."

Before they knew it, fifty points had gone down the drain as I looked up near the ceiling to find the niches where the hourglasses of each House recorded every point given or taken. I saw the red stones from the Gryffindor hourglass and yellow stones from Hufflepuff float back towards the top. Slytherin's hourglass was intact. I couldn't help but feel a hint of guilt but that quickly faded. Malfoy strutted away, laughing loudly with those apes of his. I shook my head in annoyance as I saw Ernie's face twist in astonishment.

"He has completely undermined this school's prefect system!" Ernie gasped, looking appalled. "This is absolutely ridiculous!" as he stomped off, probably relaying this information to his Hufflepuff friends as I stood next to Hermione who was looking at the marble staircase. Curious myself, I looked in her direction and found Ron's older twin brothers approach us, mischievous smiles as usual. Their exploits were legendary in the castle.

"Ah. Noticed, have you?" Fred asked us.

"We just lost fifty points!" Harry angrily spoke, his green eyes glancing over to the hourglasses. George nodded in an understanding manner.

"Montague tried to do us, but he didn't get all the words out," George then looked over to me as if to expect me to know who Montague was. I shrugged. I think they meant Graham Montague, the Captain and Chaser of our Quidditch team. I rarely ever saw him in the common room but I'm guessing he was now part of the Inquisitorial Squad along with Malfoy and Pansy.

"Wait, what do you mean he 'tried'?" Ron asked his brothers, looking rather puzzled by what they meant. I think they shut Montague up in some sort of way.

"We shoved him in the Vanishing Cabinet on the first floor," explained Fred.

"F_orcefully_ might we add," George finished with a smile.

"You didn't!" Hermione gasped.

"We did," the twins replied.

Hermione's jaw nearly dropped to the floor while Ron was wavering between cheering for his brothers or being on Hermione's side and Harry looked really blank. He hadn't talked much since last night and considering how many people were bugging him for information about that night we saw Dumbledore flee, he was probably emotionally exhausted. Fred and George were currently talking about how they were planning some mayhem now that Umbridge was in charge and that they didn't care about expulsion. I almost wished I could be that careless about school but I would never hear the end of it from my grandfather. The twins told us to be in the Great Hall for lunch today so "we wouldn't have anything to do with it."

"What do you think they're up to?" I asked Ron, wondering what those freckled boys were up to. Judging by their nature and the sense that they wouldn't be sticking around for much longer, Fred and George were probably planning something grand.

Ron shrugged as Hermione responded, "Well, we should get out of here, just in case..." she muttered something about boys and their idiocy as we scurried towards the Great Hall. I stopped in the middle of the hall, watching the swell of students hungry for lunch approach the doors as I noticed Harry being led away by Filch. A frown formed on my face. What could Filch possibly want, and what did Harry do now? As Hermione waved good-bye to me, I slowly walked to the Slytherin table, every pair of beady eyes on me like I was a slug. I chose a seat near the end of the table as I began to pile some roast beef and potatoes on my dish, hoping to ease some of my worry with food. I peered over at the other lunch tables, noticing Luna sitting by herself and then Ron and Hermione were sitting with Ginny, Dean and Seamus. There was no explicit rule about sitting at other lunch tables, but it was social suicide and I had already committed that a long time ago. Gulping down my bite of roast beef, I grabbed my plate and began to walk over to the Ravenclaw table and almost slammed my lunch right next to Luna, catching attention from half the Ravenclaw table and the Slytherins. Luna turned her head and smiled.

"I like roasted potatoes, they're my favorite," she simply spoke as she ate some, humming that vaguely familiar tune of Weasley Is Our King.

As I peeked over Luna's shoulder, I saw Cho giving me a disapproving look as a blonde girl whispered something in her ear. Well, seems like Cho found a replacement for Marietta rather quickly. I rolled my eyes as I continued eating my lunch next to Luna.

"You're not _supposed_ to sit here," the blonde girl bossily told me as I shrugged. "You aren't a Ravenclaw."

"Do tell me where does it say that in the rules? I seem to have misplaced my handbook," I spoke sardonically as I placed my chin on the palm of my hand, my elbow resting on the wooden table. "Having been a former prefect, I have to say, there is nothing in school code about sitting at another table. Really, it's all just social conditioning that keeps people from sitting elsewhere."

Cho's blonde friend made a disgusted noise as she turned to Cho, wanting her to say something about this situation. The Asian girl sighed as she motioned me to leave.

"You should probably leave, no offense Cornelia," Cho suggested, her eyebrows knitted in concern as her blonde friend clearly wanted Cho to go off on me.

"But I like sitting next to Cornelia," Luna piped up, tilting her head to look at Cho. "She's my friend."

Here we go again. I shifted uneasily in my seat, slowly placing a forkful of beef in my mouth. Luna still considered me as her friend after all this time? She already had friends in Ginny and Neville, did she really like me all that much? I saw Cho frown at Luna's statement. I could tell the two were very opposite when it came to opinions despite being in the same House. I decided to speak up again because Luna's words gave me an idea.

"Yes Cho, Luna and I are friends. Unlike you, I happen to try and invest myself in people who don't snitch on others. Haven't you told Blondie what happened to Marietta, your last friend?" I narrowed my eyes at Cho and then eyed her friend, a dark smirk growing on my face. I couldn't help it sometimes. Luna blinked out of surprise, Cho looked outraged and the blonde girl was offended.

"Marietta's a sweet and lovely person!" Cho shouted, her almond shaped brown eyes no longer as calm as before. "She didn't mean to-,"

I snorted. "Well, all that _sweetness_ and _loveliness_ landed her a trip to the hospital wing with the world's nastiest pimples! 'She didn't mean to', hippogriff's arse!"

A sudden gasp overcame Cho, her blonde friend and half the Ravenclaw table. My left eye twitched a little as Luna gently placed her hand on my shoulder but I involuntarily jerked back and before I could hear Luna speak, we heard crackling and popping in the Great Hall. Students scurried out the doors of the Great Hall to find an array of bright, sparkling fireworks exploding as Catherine Wheels zipped around. I now understood why Ron's brothers wanted us to be at lunch. Those two were going to raise hell for Umbridge with their trickery.

"That one looks like a Three-Headed Zenera," Luna pointed to a long train of firework sparkles in the shape of an ordinary cat, but I decided not to correct her. That kooky Quibbler magazine had similar creatures printed in its text and Luna probably believed in their existence. She was rather steadfast in her beliefs of such silly creatures that anything I would say wouldn't change her mind.

"Yeah, I guess it does," I shrugged as I stuck my hands in the pockets of my cloak.

"You meant it, didn't you?" she asked me in a calm but distant voice, looking up at the fireworks display on the floor.

"Meant what? Oh." I looked at her as I nodded. "Well I suppose we're both outcasts of our own House. You're..._you_ and I'm not a blood purity fanatic that supports Umbridge," I hesitated for a moment as Luna turned her attention from the fireworks and happily smiled at me, closing her eyes, "that doesn't make me a bleeding heart though. I'm not going to crusade for justice and good will anytime soon."

"Well I hope your heart isn't bleeding, that would be incredibly painful, wouldn't it?" and with that sentence Luna Lovegood drifted away from me, walking down the hall with no shoes on her feet. I guess nobody ever told her it was impolite to just walk away from a conversation she no longer wanted to continue but I think she heard what she wanted to hear.

Friends. Luna said we were friends that day on the Hogwarts Express. Perhaps she knew we were friends from that moment on and I never took heed of it. To be honest, it was a scary feeling for me. Slytherins relied on themselves and only used others to make their ends meet. Friends meant having to possibly sacrifice everything for somebody else's well-being.

My grandfather was an exception of course.

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><p>Luna's adorable and she's one of my favorite characters in the entire series so I hope I did her justice. She and Cornelia are so different, it's rather funny to imagine the two as friends. What can I say, she grows on Cornelia xD As for sitting at different tables, I suppose I took advantage of a loophole...<p>

so it's amazing to see how many alerts and favorites this fic gets, you have no idea how happy I am every time a new alert pops up in my email :) Thanks for all the feedback, it just makes me want to write more and more! So for those who favorite/alert without reviewing, it would be really nice if you left a review. I'm not holding chapters for ransom but I like knowing what people think of the characters, story, any opinions, etc. I won't bite, I promise!

Next chapter will be a lot longer. Lots of stuff to cover, including FUN and AWESOME career advice from the Potions Master himself, ehehe.


	18. Chapter Eighteen

I do not own Harry Potter. JKR does.

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><p><em>It's a moment that I'm after, a fleeting moment, but not a frozen moment. <em>  
><em>- Andrew Wyeth <em>

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><p><strong>Chapter Eighteen<strong>

Very few greeted the Easter holiday. My grandfather invited me to come back home for the holiday but I was swamped with homework and projects and it hurt me to say no. We had six weeks until the OWLs exams determined the rest of our lives, so the stress was even worse now than it had been a few months ago. The other big event was the career advisory meetings that took place the following week after the holiday where we would have to sit down with our Head of House and talk about potential careers. Discussing the rest of my life with Snape, I didn't quite look forward to that.

"I heard you caused quite a stir over at the Ravenclaw table during lunch the other day," the disembodied voice of Theodore Nott floated over my head. I had been deeply engrossed in my wandcraft and wandlore book, jerking me out of the debate of whether Goblins should be given the right to use them. I did not appreciate that disruption in the slightest. I groaned as I slammed the book shut and raised my head as to look at the person who interrupted my reading. The brown haired boy simply stepped back as he walked around the couch and faced me once again. "We're neck to neck for the coveted position of Slytherin pariah."

I folded my arms across my chest, my nose scrunched up in annoyance. "You can have it."

"Right, right." Theo shrugged, brushing off my statement as he politely sat down on an emerald colored chair near me. "Oh, Umbridge asked Blaise and I to be part of her Inquisitorial Squad. Of course, I turned her invitation down. I believe he did as well."

This caught my interest as I softened my expression but still kept a brow raised. "Really now?"

"Yes. You see Cornelia, I don't like to be involved in politics. Messy business really," Theo explained, craning his head back so he could recline in the chair. He seemed oddly at peace which creeped me out. What exactly was he thinking? Slytherins are generally private people but not even dirt-digger Daphne could find out anything about Theo, and she dated the string bean. All I knew was that his mother was dead and that he could see thestrals just like Harry, Neville and I could. "Blaise and I don't have the desire to join gangs unlike so many of our peers."

"And why are you telling me this?" I asked him in a demanding tone, perhaps a bit too forceful than I intended. "Don't you have some corner to lurk around?"

"You know Cornelia, we're very similar. Even if you do not particularly like Blaise, you have to admit we three are quite the rarities of our House. We contain all the ambition, the pure blood and self-preservation of a true Slytherin...but we have no desire to lower ourselves to be grunts of an organization," his dark blue eyes focused on me as I shifted in my seat, beginning to feel rather vulnerable. Maybe he knew that I was in the DA. "What Draco doesn't realize is that Vincent and Gregory cannot be his personal bodyguards forever and that even _he_ is going to be alone someday. He's harmless compared to what's truly out there." He chuckled, which almost threw me for a loop. I believe I may have been the first to experience Theodore Nott express some sort of laugh. Theo placed his chin on his hand, his elbow resting on his knee as he gave me a curious look. I had enough, however.

"Theo, I'd just love to stay and chat but well...I've got to get going," I spoke curtly as I turned on my heel and grasped the book in my hand as I was about to venture to the one place I could never imagine myself going to get away from people: the library.

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><p>I never liked libraries. I loved peace and quiet, but I didn't like being surrounded by books and with Madam Pince snooping around to catch offenders, the place caused more stress than tranquility, especially with all the fifth years studying like madmen. As I entered the library, I spotted a familiar black haired boy sitting at a table by himself. Harry. I had sat at a Ravenclaw lunch table, certainly sitting at the same library table with Harry shouldn't be this difficult. However my feet refused to move and I frowned when Ginny approached him, looking as if she had just gotten off a broom. The two started talking and I turned around to find a bench to sit and read my wandcraft book until I heard a harsh whisper,<p>

"Cornelia!" Ginny asked for me, her brown eyes wide and inviting with a sort of genial stare. I slowly turned around, still clutching my book as she motioned me over. She was holding some sort of package as I noticed upon a closer look, deciding to pick a chair across from where Harry was sitting. She opened the carelessly wrapped package, Umbridge's nasty handwriting scrawled across, as she handed Harry a chocolate easter egg. Ginny Weasley breaking the rules, what a stirring development this was. "Luna told me about your confrontation with Cho and Mallory. You're...um, not very well liked in Ravenclaw at the moment," Ginny explained, a forced smile on her face. "Personally, I thought it was nice of you to sit with Luna. I don't think she has any friends in that House..."

"Well," I muttered with a small sigh, taking a mental note that Cho's new friend was Mallory, "if Cho is to associate with people, perhaps she should choose _friends_ who aren't as stupid as Marietta," I said, earning a look from Harry. I bet he agreed with me.

"But maybe if Harry just talked to Cho-," Ginny tried to speak but Harry cut her off.

"Cornelia's right, Ginny. She tried to apologize for Marietta," Harry spoke with some bitterness, so I'm assuming their relationship's over. Which makes perfect sense, if you think about it. I certainly wouldn't stick around with that sort of person. "And anyway, it's not her I want to talk to."

Ginny looked at me then Harry and then back at me again. She understood who he was talking about. My interest was piqued when he mentioned he'd rather talk to someone else. Harry eyed me as if he was withholding something as I raised the book to eye level. I wasn't going to tell on the two for eating chocolate eggs so I wanted to know why my presence was suddenly unwanted. As I recall perfectly, Ginny had been the one to invite me over.

"Er, Cornelia, you should probably get going," Harry said with a little impatience in his voice.

I blinked. "When you say that, it only intrigues me more as to what you're discussing. It's not like I'm going to repeat any of this to Pansy or Daphne," I rolled my eyes, still skimming the pages of my book as Ginny frowned. "You're already breaking rules by eating in the library..." I spoke a little louder this time, a smirk growing on my face. I can't help it sometimes.

Ginny and Harry stared at each other first and then looked back at me as Ginny walked around the table and faced me, grabbing a chair to sit in. "You know who Sirius Black is?"

I glowered. "The murderer-"

"He's NOT a murderer!" Harry almost yelled at me, slamming his hands on the table as I almost jumped out of my chair, not having seen him this mad since I overheard about his Occlumency lessons. I would never say this out loud, but he looked rather frightening when mad, just like when Neville nearly charged into Malfoy in a fury. Ginny gave him a scathing expression along the lines of 'Are you trying to kick us out of the library?' as her hand rested on the arm of my library chair. "He isn't..." his green eyes had a flash of anger as I sat as far back in my chair as possible.

"She doesn't know that, Harry," Ginny explained, trying to calm Harry down, "look, Cornelia, Sirius Black is Harry's godfather. And he's not a murderer. That's about the best way I can put it. I don't expect you to believe me-,"

"Not really," I stated, being completely honest.

Ginny frowned at my statement. I sighed heavily as I tossed some black hair behind my shoulders. "Okay, fine. So let's say Sirius is completely innocent. Why would Harry need to talk to him?" I asked.

I didn't get a response because Madam Pince swooped down upon us with an air of rage and stern discipline. She must have heard Harry's loud voice and smelled the chocolate eggs as she hexed Harry's belongings to chase after us, the library door slamming loudly as Harry, Ginny and I stood there with an incredulous look on our faces. I was gripping my book tightly as I looked to Ginny.

"Harry, I'm sure my brothers can devise some sort of plan to get you to contact Sirius," she spoke with a small smile. "Growing up with them, I've learned anything is possible. They're good at creating diversions."

I couldn't argue with that. I didn't know George or Fred very well but their fireworks were amazing and the two were known as the best tricksters in Hogwarts, save for Peeves the poltergeist. Their pranks were more daring and bold, the complete opposite of what a Slytherin would do. I was still trying to come to terms with the idea that maybe Sirius Black didn't kill all those muggles years ago. I had no reason to believe Harry was lying, especially after all the trouble we shared together. I was, however, somewhat suspicious.

"So...where is Sirius then?" I slowly questioned Harry, who seemed to have quelled his anger at me. He was about to say something but held it back.

"Hiding. There's only a handful of people who know his innocence," Ginny answered for him, "most of the world is sort of like you, still believing he committed those crimes. Well, anyway, I have to get going. See you, Harry," she smiled towards Harry and then faced me again with the same smile, "Cornelia." The red haired Weasley girl left, and it was just Harry and I standing in the hall in front of the library. Harry looked off into the direction where Ginny left for a few more seconds before talking to me again.

"You musn't breathe a word about Sirius. To be honest, I wasn't really expecting you to hear that."

I shrugged. "I haven't spoken a word about anything so far, have I? The DA, your Occlumency lessons..." I asked him seriously, already knowing the answer. "Plus, nobody'd believe me if I was spouting off that Sirius Black was wrongfully imprisoned for twelve years, hm?"

He gave me a half-smile, looking a bit sheepish. "Guess not," he nodded, as if he were convincing himself of my trustworthiness, "I'm not taking Occlumency lessons with Snape anymore though."

"Oh?" I was interested. Perhaps it would explain why my Potions professor was in such a foul mood before the Easter holidays began. The man barely had a shred of patience but last week it was almost non-existent. I beckoned for him to continue as to why he stopped.

"I accidentally delved into his memories."

I stared at him, almost shocked. "So wait, you performed _Legilimency_?"

He gestured with his hands before he tried to explain with words. "Well, sort of. Not on purpose. Point is, Snape's furious and ended it. Doesn't matter, not like I looked forward to those lessons," he spoke indifferently. I guess he had a valid reason to dislike my Head of House. I didn't particularly like Snape either but Harry's loathing was on a different level.

It was quiet between us as an air of awkward silence grew and I wanted to leave to go back to my dorm but there was something else I needed to say.

"Harry?" I asked, the words forming on the tip of my tongue as I waited for him to respond.

"Yeah?"

"I miss the D.A."

I truly meant it. I rarely ever admitted my feelings about anything, but I felt like I had to say something. It wasn't fair. We were forced to disband Dumbledore's Army because of that horrible woman Umbridge and that my Slytherin peers had a hand in it made me feel...well..._guilty_ almost. It was almost our fault that Dumbledore was gone and that Umbridge was in charge, as well as the Inquisitorial Squad deducting points left and right. Harry looked at me with mild surprise, his green eyes a little bit wider as the bridge of his glasses slid down his nose. I don't think he was expecting me to say that but I think my admittance pleased him.

"I miss it too. Everyone was improving so well, especially Neville and Colin. You and Hermione were brilliant. Seamus even showed up for his first meeting that night..." he trailed off, looking down at the floor before glancing at me again. We didn't speak for a few minutes, not sure what to say. "I've...uh, got to go. Hermione and Ron will be looking for me in the common room," he quickly spoke, making up a flimsy excuse to leave.

I nodded. "Bye Harry."

Harry acknowledged my goodbye. I swore there was a faint smile on his face as he said bye to me too. Drawing in a deep breath, I walked in the opposite direction to head back to the Slytherin common room, feeling a little happier than before.

Saturday faded to Sunday, the last day of our Easter holiday, and career advisory notices were tacked on the common room board, listing the meeting times for all the fifth years to discuss potential careers and jobs with our Head of House. My meeting with Snape was at ten past one on Monday, right after lunch. I noted this mentally as I saw the countless pamphlets, leaflets, any kind of -lets stacked on every possible flat surface of our common room. I didn't take any notice to them because it was quite obvious what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I sat down at a desk and pushed away the enchanted brochures about a career in Gringotts as I began to pen my letter to my grandfather, wanting to make a trip to the Owlery after my meeting with Snape. I felt bad that I hadn't wrote to my grandfather in over a week but I knew he understood why. He was once a fifth year too, so he knew the kind of stress and homework I was getting.

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><p>I was more than anxious on Monday as I sat through my morning classes and then ate my lunch quickly. When I lifted my head after eating a pork sandwich, I noticed Mallory, Cho's blonde friend, glaring daggers into my skin. I rolled my eyes as I continued to eat my lunch, ignoring the idiotic girl. My eyes then travelled to the Gryffindor table, where I saw Harry sitting between Seamus and Neville, Hermione a few seats away with Ron and Ginny. I must have forgotten I was staring because Pansy's voice snapped me out of my trance.<p>

"Oooh, Corny wants to be a Gryffindor like Potty and the rest of those _freaks_," Pansy sniggered as Daphne and Tracey joined in, Millicent not giggling but pleased by the fact Mallory disliked me. "You should be lucky that Umbridge didn't expel you along with nasty Potter," she hissed, puffing out her chest as if I had to notice her Inquisitorial Squad badge. It was a tacky badge, it really was. I bit off a chunk of my sandwich as I glowered at Pansy. "I would have you kicked out along with that ugly Mudblood girl and that _stupid_ Weasley boy."

"You're just a miniature Umbridge," I spat as my eyes guided her attention to where the plump woman in pink was sitting at the head table, "that's going to be you in forty years. Fat, ugly and hated by everyone."

Pansy's jaw dropped as her black eyes narrowed so tightly at me that it looked like she wanted to cast a nonverbal spell on me. However, I was confident knowing her magic skill would never reach that level of competence. "You're just jealous that you're a nobody now, Cor-_neel_-ia. The prefect status is nothing compared to being part of the Inquisitorial Squad," she flipped her short black hair with the back of her hand, trying to exude an impressive air. Daphne made some comment about the silkiness of Pansy's hair as the pug face commented that Umbridge had given her enchanted conditioner as a present "for being the best and excelling in keeping the students in line." I wanted to vomit. I finished my lunch and walked away from the lunch table, Pansy hurling insults at me in that harpy voice of hers that she used whenever she wanted attention.

I cast _Tempus_ to see what time it was. I drew in a deep breath and began my walk to Professor Snape's office. How lucky for us Slytherins that Snape's office be conveniently located in the deepest part of the castle's dungeons. As I approached the door to his office, the door swung open as I saw my slightly disheveled Professor hunched over his desk, shuffling some parchment. I scanned the office as I noticed a strange object that looked like a fancy wash basin on his desk. It looked so pretty among the nasty dead things floating in vials and jars as I felt myself walking closer and closer to the dish, my fingers gliding along the side...

"Miss Ollivander, did you ever learn _not_ to touch things that don't belong to you? Sit down immediately so we can discuss your future career as quickly as possible. I do not have all day exclusively for you," he snapped at me as I grabbed a chair and sat in it, thinking that this was the most uncomfortable sitting device ever invented. It was drafty and musty in the dungeon office. Not welcoming at all. "I assume you will follow your grandfather's choice of career?" he asked in a monotonous and uncaring tone, flicking through some papers with his calloused hands.

I merely nodded. Even though Snape was always in a sour mood, today he was just being downright foul than usual, especially now that I knew the source of his discontent. I didn't want to try his patience. "Yes, sir..."

He didn't look at me at all as he set some papers down, his greasy long hair hitting the sides of his face and a long strand was right on his nose. I really wished he would at least brush his hair to look somewhat presentable, it was embarrassing having a Head of House who appeared like he walked through a grease pit.

"The requirements to pursue a career in wandmaking include apprenticing under a certified wandmaker," Snape explained, "and training for at least seven years before applying for a license at the Ministry..."

I uttered a small gasp and I hesitated before asking this question, but Snape was already glaring at me, expecting me to spit out whatever question I had before he kicked me out of his office. "Professor, what are the specified NEWTS for my intended career?"

"I was about to state them, Miss Ollivander_, if you had not so rudely interrupted me,_" Snape lectured me coldly as he gathered the pamphlets in his hands as he tried to find where he left off before I interrupted him, "Four NEWTs are required in order to become a wandmaker."

_Four?_ I blinked out of confusion, leaning my head towards him as if to ask him another question. Charms, Transfiguration and Herbology were the only ones I thought were important; what could the other one possibly be? I think Snape noticed my bewildered expression as he looked up from the pamphlets and blankly looked at me. "Professor, I know Charms, Transfiguration and Herbology are three but what other subject matters?-,"

"I _will_ dismiss you from my office if you keep cutting me off as if I were your fellow peer!" Snape rose up to yell at me, clearly on edge as I rocked so far back on my chair I nearly fell off, "_Sit. Down_."

Not wanting to hear him say it a third time, I sat back down in the chair as I brushed back some hair behind my ear, not looking directly at my professor. I couldn't bring myself to apologize; I knew I had fallen out of his favor a long time ago. I was caught with Harry Potter, who he especially loathed, and my prefect status had been ripped away from me; a position he originally assigned to me over Pansy Parkinson. I lowered my head out of embarrassment.

"Along with Herbology, Charms and Transfiguration, potential candidates as a wandmaker must also excel in NEWT-level Potions, a recent addition to the usual list of requirements."

If I had been drinking something, I probably would have spewed the beverage all over the desk in shock. _Potions? _"If you don't mind me asking, what exactly does Potions do for ..._wandmaking_?"

Snape uttered a droll sigh as he finally looked over to me. "Potions is the universal foundation of everything, Miss Ollivander. Even the art of crafting wands requires some... rudimentary knowledge of concocting potions. If you listened more in class instead of writing down combinations of wand cores and wood, perhaps you would comprehend the subject," I gulped, not taking the news as well as I expected. I didn't say much after that. I was too busy worried about how to pass the Potions OWL with an Outstanding. I barely made Acceptable-level mixtures.

"You are dismissed, Ollivander. I only accept Outstandings for my NEWT level Potions course, but my favoritism does not graciously extend that far as to allow you to pass without diligence," he dismissed me with a mild scowl on his face, the bags under his eyes only accentuated by his expression. I exited the dungeon office and finally could breathe without setting my professor off. He was angry about something, but I couldn't figure it out. My thoughts kept going back to that beautiful fixture on his desk, the one that looked like a miniature fountain.

I needed to make some last minute edits to my letter, wanting to know why my grandfather had neglected to tell me that Potions was part of the requirements to pursue a career in wandmaking. He could not have simply forgotten! And if Potions was a new addition to the list, certainly he would have known that? I whipped out a quill pen and began writing against the dungeon wall to add in that extra bit about the Potions NEWT. I frowned when I realized I had to run to my Defense Against the Dark Arts class and stuffed the parchment in my pockets as I cast _Accio_ to retrieve my DADA textbook as I headed towards class. I saw Harry and Ron enter class, as well as noticing a redfaced Umbridge.

Class slowly dragged until the bell rang and just when I had got out of my seat to try and talk to Harry, or even Hermione, he seemed to have just disappeared from class. I caught up with Hermione, who wore a look of concern and anxiety. I was curious as to why she was so nervous.

"Where'd Harry go?" I asked her.

Hermione's brown eyes shifted a bit as she finally exhaled sharply. "We better get out of here, Fred and George are up to something to distract Umbridge so Harry can sneak off-,"

"It's so he can talk to Sirius. Umbridge's fireplace is the only one not being inspected constantly."

Hermione looked at me as if she couldn't believe I said his name and knew why. I decided to make it a bit more clear as to why I knew so Hermione would be less confused. "Harry mentioned a few days ago he wanted to talk to Sirius..."

"So you know he's innocent?" Hermione asked me, expecting me to say yes. I nodded. The brunette witch was about to say something to me but we heard screaming and excited yells down the corridor as I peered over Hermione's shoulder as to see what the fuss was about. Hermione and I exchanged looks as we ran in the direction of the diversion, only to find our DADA professor face to face with a swamp inside the school. A real live swamp.

"They managed to conjure up a swamp?" I said to myself as Hermione gasped, her expression a mix between astonishment and anger. The handiwork that went into creating this smelly bog was certainly impressive, but then again I would prefer a more subtle approach to such trickery. Upon closer look, a ring of students were actually covered in this swamp juice that looked a lot like Stinksap. I also saw Pansy, Malfoy and a bunch of the Inquisitorial Squad looking pleased with themselves. I followed their gaze to where I saw the twins cornered with their actions. Umbridge leered at them with her bulging ugly eyes, her wand pointed right at Fred and George. Hermione and I were a few stairs away from the action, as I noticed Harry near Umbridge. I couldn't hear all the words exchanged between the twins and Umbridge but I clearly heard the spell _Accio Brooms_, a loud crash in the distance as their respective brooms zooming towards them.

"Are they...?" I muttered but Hermione didn't fill me in as we watched Fred and George Weasley about fly out of school. Yes, they flew out of Hogwarts. That may just be the most spectacular show of dropping out of school I have ever experienced. They announced they were setting up shop right in Diagon Alley and would give discounts to anyone who promised to get rid of Umbridge. My grey eyes widened when they ordered Peeves to give Umbridge hell.

"I can't believe they would just toss away their education!" Hermione spoke breathlessly, not sure whether to be amazed at what we just saw or angry that Fred and George just dropped out of Hogwarts. "Certainly they could have lasted a few months longer; they were so close to graduating!"

I shrugged. "I don't know, with Umbridge's reign over this place, school hasn't exactly improved, has it? And their swamp is certainly going to get us out of some classes. I believe Fred and George Weasley did the entire student body at Hogwarts a favor."

Suggesting that Hermione would miss her classes was a bad idea as she frowned at me, looking at the swamp down the school corridor and then at me. "I just hope Harry's safe," she sighed. "He just jumps without thinking, I swear..."

I didn't peg Harry as the wait-and-think type of guy. If he wanted to talk to his godfather then he would do so no matter what. "Either way, it worked. Bye, Hermione," I said farewell, a quick wave of my hand as I went down the stairs and took an alternative route to get to the Slytherin common room. I had a strong inkling that the swamp was not going away anytime soon.

* * *

><p>Fred and George's sensational swamp and their escape from Hogwarts was on everyone's minds and tongues the next few days and pretty soon people began vying to become the next great pranksters. It was a stupid goal because no one could outdo them. I even heard students referring to dropping out as "do a Weasley" and other new terms to describe their unrest. It was hilarious to see Umbridge trying to remove the swamp from the corridor because even the other professors lent her no hand. I'm sure Flitwick and McGonagall could have made it disappear in a matter of seconds but it was sort of a twisted humor to see our toad faced Headmistress try and dissolve it. In fact, I think she made it even worse because the swamp expanded by a few meters overnight.<p>

It got to the point where Filch now had to row students across the swampy water so they could get to their classes. Lucky for me, I preferred the longer but not swampy way of going to my classes. I heard rumors of kids placing nifflers in Umbridge's office and one almost biting her stubby fingers off so they could get the shiny rings. The image of a fingerless Umbridge was a rather funny thought.

Nothing was as funny as the morning where Pansy Parkinson awoke one morning and sprouted antlers. I was still asleep when I heard the piercing shriek of Daphne and at first I thought it was one of her usual screams of losing a cosmetic, but Tracey freaked out even louder so I had to wake up and see what was going on. It was worth it.

"HOW DID THESE GET ON MY HEAD! HOW!" Pansy screamed, rubbing her hands on the base of the antlers with horror, her face even more pale than usual as Daphne was shielding her eyes with the palm of her hand, Tracey standing away as if the antlers were contagious. She had to go to the hospital wing and lucky for everyone who was plagued with her existence, she wasn't at any classes all day. It got better though. People were buying those Skiving Snackboxes and noses would be bleed during her classes or break out in dangerous fevers and of course, vomiting. Umbridge was forced to let any student go if they exhibited signs of illness. I had faked illness quite a few times and I would retreat to the common room to read my wandcraft book and study a little bit for the OWLs. And by study, I mean hardly study. I grabbed the parchment from my nightstand, reading over my grandfather's words.

_Dear Cornelia,_

_I suppose I am not 'in with the times' as they say, because I did not realize that Potions was required as part of the requirements to be a wandmaker. It is an important subject, yes, but the most you would be doing is curing the wood; preparing it for the binding of a particular magical core for a wand. _

_This is a good opportunity for you..._

I stopped reading as I set the parchment down on my nightstand and sat on the edge of my bed. I was lying to my grandfather and it hurt me more than I would care to admit. He didn't know that I was no longer a prefect but I did not want to let him down again. He found out about my detentions with Umbridge and I had attempted to lie about that. I did not like this conflicting emotions business and being both an Ollivander and Slytherin, I was supposed to have my feelings in check. But clearly I was beginning to develop friendly feelings toward Harry, Ron and Hermione and even Ginny was warming up to me. I hadn't seen Luna around much due to her being a fourth year, but whenever I ate breakfast, lunch or dinner, I would see Luna would turn around and give me a dreamy grin from the Ravenclaw table. I'd go over there and eat with her again but Mallory sent me death glares and I remained at my seat over in Slytherin.

I said I considered Luna as a friend that day during lunch. It's a scary feeling knowing that being friends with someone meant being concerned with another person's feelings. Friends meant going through the same burden. Friends meant getting emotionally involved in their well-being.

If Luna ever got sick, then maybe I'd pay a visit to her in the hospital wing. Just for courtesy's sake. that's all.

* * *

><p>Yay I updated, and with a long chapter to make up for my two week absence :) My life has become busier due to 2 part-time jobs and college, and also I was a bit stuck on this chapter because I kept editing and revising constantly. I'm still not completely happy with it but oh well. The action should be...right around the corner. I'm trying to end fifth year by chapter 22 (personal goal anyway) so I need to get rolling, haha. THEN WE GET TO THE AMAZING GOOD STUFF AAHHH SO EXCITED~! I already have a couple of future chapters written out :D y'know stuff involving Neville visiting Cornelia and more drama hehehe.<p>

Thank you guys so much for all the love for this fic. All the reviews, alerts and faves make me sooo happy! I would like to update at least once a week but I can't promise anything. And I'm going to be doing a bit of an incentive for those who review: if you review (and have an ff account), I'll reply with a snippet of one of these ~*special chapters*~ I've written ahead of time!


	19. Author's Note

**Author's Note**

Yes, I'm still alive and I know it's been over a year since this fanfiction has updated and wow, I feel horrible for abandoning it. What started as a hiatus just lead to forgetting and then back in the summer I remembered I had an account and going like 'oh shit that's right!' I've been through a lot in the past year that involves schooling, a heavy schedule from my jobs and my general health and I don't really have time to sit around the computer as much as I used to.

Honestly, I don't have the time or the desire to write fanfiction anymore. Reading and reviewing, yes, but writing not so much. And it's not fair to all the lovely reviewers and those who fave this and have this fic on alert. Heck, I _still_ get alerts to this day and it makes me feel awful.

This fic ain't perfect. I definitely relied heavily on the book and looking back on it, I wish I hadn't gone that route. I don't want to copy-paste half OoTP for my fics, y'know?

So, I'm handing over this fanfiction to someone who I think can rewrite Ophidian Girl and is way more active as a fanfiction writer than me. **crisis what crisis** has really impressed me with her Avengers and Walking Dead fanfictions and has just started her first HP fanfiction. Great writing, awesome original characters and is waaaaay more active than me when it comes to this site and writing stories. Go check her out.

I feel bad that I'm ending Ophidian Girl for me but I hope all you people who've remained loyal and such will give crisis what crisis a chance because I think she'll really improve upon what I wrote and hopefully won't forget about the fic for over a year.

Thanks for reading Ophidian Girl and being awesome people,

**_scissorbrothers _**


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